Carrots and Cauliflowers
by Overmind5000
Summary: Stopping home to get his supplies for his training with Muten Rōshi, Son Gokū was introduced by a very similar person to himself, yet different at the same time: A girl named Caulifla. A meeting which will only lead to a great deal of shenanigans down the road. Image by Salvamakoto. Will remove if prompted.
1. Chapter 1: An Uninvited Guest

_**Mount Paozu, Early Morning**_

Morning has dawned as the sun rose over the mountains surrounding the valley, and as it always has, the wildlife began to stir and begin their natural routines in life. Smaller foraging animals began looking for berries or anything that looked appetizing, while larger carnivores looked for an early breakfast. The day would start just like any other, barring the absence of one of its long-time residents, Son Gokū, and the intrusion of yet another unfamiliar visitor for the first time since Gokū had left to gather the Dragon Balls with Bulma.

Rustling through the trees near Gokū's hut was the same visitor in question. Many native animals did not flee immediately, for something was oddly familiar to this intruder. The rustling eventually reached the edge of the clearing containing the vacant hut, and out rolled a small child with a serious look on her face, having a pair of jet black narrow eyes and a crop of black spiky hair with two bangs framing her face to complete the look. The girl was wearing a basic purple gi, with a long-sleeved pink undershirt. Her gi was tied by the waist with a pink obi which was covered by what looked like a thick brown fur belt. Catching sight of the hut, she crouched down and began to crawl towards the house. "That looks like the place. Maybe I can get some answers."

The child proceeded closer to the hut with as much stealth as she could - which was certainly wasted effort to any possible witnesses - ducking behind rocks thinking she was close to being spotted, when in reality it was just a butterfly passing by. She eventually reached the door of the hut, and slowly opened it peering inside, only to see it was not only completely empty, but a small layer of dust had settled everywhere, indicating no one was here for some time.

"Dang it!" The girl muttered under her breath. "I thought this person lived here! Now where do I look?"

Crossing her arms and thinking, she stood in the empty hut, completely oblivious to a distinct whirring sound coming up over the mountains.

* * *

_**Skies above Mount Paozu**_

Perched atop his Kinto'un, Son Gokū began to stir from his night's sleep and travel, still feeling off-balance from the loss of his tail the night before, but adjusting well. He let out a large yawn and looked at his surroundings. "These mountains look familiar. My house should be nearby!"

Kinto'un responded to his master's wishes and slowed down the pace to allow for a better survey of the ground below. A small hut in the middle of the wilderness shouldn't be too tough to find, especially from the air. As Gokū looked down below for his humble abode, he thought about the offer given to him to study martial arts by Muten Rōshi, the same man that taught his grandfather, Son Gohan. "_Staying with Muten Rōshi might be a bit of a burden. I should probably bring my own futon just in case."_

Sure enough, the hut of Gokū's dwelling came into view, the tiled roofing unmistakable. Kinto'un responded to Gokū's notice of this and proceeded to descend towards the hut. What the boy was not expecting after returning from such an adventure was to see his front door wide open.

* * *

_**Mount Paozu, Gokū's house**_

The whirring of Kinto'un finally reached the girl's ears, and immediately she began to panic. Whoever lives here is back! Looking for a place to hide, she quickly jumped behind the dresser which held a purple velvet cushion on top, and tried to keep her breathing quiet. Kinto'un came to a complete stop outside the open door, and Gokū leapt down with a puzzled look on his face.

"I always close the door when I leave," Gokū thought aloud looking around in his home. "Maybe an animal pushed the door open?"

Gokū's eyes then trailed to the floor, where he saw footprints in the thin layer of dust. They certainly did not belong to an animal, especially not one from around here, and saw that they trailed around to the back of his dresser. Even more curious, the tracks do not lead back out, and an unfamiliar scent was strong within the room. Knowing he had an intruder, Gokū reached over his right shoulder and drew out his Nyoibō, assuming a basic defensive stance. "Whoever you are, come out!"

The girl hiding behind the dresser began to panic even more. She was caught and had no means of escape other than to fight her way out. This guy seems weak, right? Running through the options in her head, she went with fight instead of flight, and immediately jumped out from behind the dresser, charging and yelling at a now surprised Gokū. She reared her fist back and threw a punch directly at his forehead, only for it to be blocked by his forearm.

"Ouch!" Gokū recoiled in both surprise and pain. Inspecting his arm. It was mildly bruised, but nothing serious. "Who are you? Where did you learn to hit so hard?"

"I don't have to tell you anything!" The girl finally spoke, assuming a similarly basic stance, but was more offensive. "Now get out of my way!"

The girl then proceeded to throw several punches and kicks at Gokū, who parried some of them now that he knew what sort of fight he was in for, but felt the force of the rest. Eventually he found an opening, and thrust his Nyoibō into the girl's stomach, causing her to gasp for air. Gokū then lifted the pole up and vaulted the girl over his head and out the door. He then proceeded to walk outside, closing the door behind him.

"Why did you sneak into my house?" Gokū questioned, now ready to fight more seriously with his expression shifted to match.

"What did I just say?!" the girl snapped back, squaring up. "I don't have to tell you anything!"

Gokū proceeded to aim one end of his Nyoibō towards the girl and shouted. "Extend!"

The pole began to increase in length at an alarming rate, the end opposite of Gokū quickly racing towards the mystery girl, who was unable to react due to her surprise and disbelief that such an artifact could exist, and this inaction would cost her in the form of another blow to the stomach.

As she fell on her back reeling from the hit dealt to her gut, Gokū retracted his Nyoibō, relaxed, and bluntly apologized. "Sorry about that, but you did sneak into my house, plus you tried to fight me."

The girl pulled herself up, gingerly rubbing her stomach and groaning from the aching caused by the impact. Visibly she was mad at the boy, while Gokū's expression was blank as paper.

"Anyway, I'm gonna go pack my things," Gokū called out as he went back to his hut. "Try not to cause more trouble."

"P-Packing?!" the girl stuttered in disbelief. "But you just got here! What are you packing for?!"

"I'm gonna go train in martial arts with Grandpa Kame-Sennin," Gokū answered nonchalantly. "You wanna come along?"

"M-Me?!" The girl stammered even more. "Why me? I literally broke into your house and attacked you!"

"You don't seem too bad." Gokū casually retorted as he placed his folded futon and a small bag of supplies onto Kinto'un. "If you want to come along though, you should make sure Kinto'un likes you. If your heart isn't pure, you'll fall through."

"I didn't say I wanted to tag along you moron!" the girl snapped back, puffing out her cheeks in indignation. "I'm looking for someone anyways, so I can't be bothered."

"Maybe I can help out?" Gokū offered, displaying a grin that was simultaneously goofy and endearing. "Kinto'un is pretty fast, so we should be able to find this 'someone' pretty fast."

The girl looked away and thought it over, her sour expression persisting, until at last she came to a decision. "Fine. But what if that cloud doesn't like me? I don't want to be eaten by a cloud."

"Kinto'un won't eat you," Gokū assured the girl with the same grin. "You just won't be able to sit on top and fall on the ground instead."

The girl was clearly hesitant in letting this yellow cotton candy-looking cloud judge her, but eventually went for it, and decided to jump onto the cloud. During the very quick descent of her jump she closed her eyes expecting to eat dirt, but instead was met with a different type of surface. The surface was soft, fluffy, and felt like air. She opened her eyes and was sure enough sitting on a cloud.

"Looks like Kinto'un likes you!" Gokū laughed as the girl realized the situation she was in. "Alright Kinto'un, Go!"

"Wait Waaaaaaaiiit!" The girl screamed as she held on for dear life and as Kinto'un began speeding into the air. Once the cloud rose above the mountain range, it began to spiral in loop de loops and eventually decreased to a cruising speed allowing the girl to collect herself and catch her breath lost from shock. "A little warning next time, please?!"

"Sorry!" Gokū smiled back, oblivious to the shock of the girl. "By the way, my name's Son Gokū. What's yours?"

"My name?" the girl was taken aback. She pondered telling this kid her name, but for some bizarre reason felt she could trust this 'Gokū' character, and eventually decided to share. "My name is Caulifla."

"That's a neat name. Is it a girl's name?" Gokū bluntly asked, his naive nature going on full display.

"Of course it is!" the girl, now named Caulifla shouted back. "You couldn't tell I was a girl?!"

"I figured you were, but I wasn't sure." Gokū answered with honesty. "I usually pat a person's crotch to check if they have-"

"Please stop!" Caulifla immediately demanded, her face turning red. "There are simpler, less embarrassing ways to check if someone is a boy or girl!"

"Okay," Gokū replied, his blank expression ever present. "So, who is it you're looking for?"

"Well," Caulifla began to answer, choosing her words carefully. "Not someone specifically, but someone, like me."

"Like you?" Gokū asked, his blank expression accented with his head tilting to the side. "What do you mean?"

"I've been traveling for a long time and made a stop at this place called Fungus Town. The folks there said I was a lot like this boy that saved them from some local crooks a week before I showed up. If so, maybe he could help me with a problem I have."

"Well, what made them think you were like this boy?"

Caulifla sighed and pondered her next choice of words even more carefully. "I'm gonna ask that you don't freak out, okay?"

"Okay!"

Caulifla closed her eyes, and the brown fur belt around her obi began to move and unravel, until it was blatantly apparent that it was not a belt, but a tail, and it was attached to the base of her back. How Gokū reacted to this revelation was like something out of a cartoon, as he screamed loud enough for a flock of birds to fly away from a distant tree, and he fell off Kinto'un and down into the uncharted forest below. The somersault cloud, noticing its master take a tumble, immediately darted down to try and catch him, only to miss and have Gokū fall into a cluster of tree branches.

"You idiot!" Caulifla snapped, visibly angry and crimson in the face as Kinto'un brought her down to the tree canopy Gokū was stuck in. "You said you wouldn't freak out!"

"Y-You have a tail!" Gokū stammered out in complete surprise as he freed himself from the canopy foliage.

"Yeah, I have a tail!" Caulifla snapped back once again. "I get it! It's weird and no person would be a freak like-"

Gokū interrupted before Caulifla could finish her statement. "Just like I did!"

"Like you... did?" Caulifla began to calm down and genuine curiosity took over her face. "So, you're the monkey kid who saved Fungus Town from that rabbit?"

Gokū leaped back up onto Kinto'un brushing away stray twigs and baring his trademark grin. "Yeah! I sent him and his goons to the moon!"

"The moon?!" Caulifla immediately shifted from curiosity to shock, ignoring the implications of travelling to the moon. "Was it a full moon?!"

"No, it was the middle of the day, plus there was a full moon just two days ago." Gokū waved it off. "Why do you ask?"

"Do you… remember what happened during that full moon?" Caulifla asked with trepidation in her voice.

Gokū tried to remember the events of that night, and he gathered his words. "Well, me and my friends were stuck in this mean guy's castle, who wanted to use the Dragon Balls to rule the world, but we stopped him. We ended up stuck in this metal room with a glass roof and couldn't get out. I looked up and saw the full moon, and the next thing I remember, I wake up without my clothes, and my tail was gone."

Caulifla was absolutely stunned by this explanation. The time skip between seeing the moon, him waking up bare as the day he was born, those notes made sense to her, but the lack of tail was an odd part. Maybe someone cut it off at some point? No, that _was_ the point, because this kid _had_ a tail before they met.

"Are your friends still alive?" Caulifla asked with even more trepidation in her voice than before.

"Yeah, they made it out okay, but I never really figured out how we got out of that metal room." Gokū answered, now noticing the shift in Caulifla's demeanor. "Hey, are you okay?"

"I-I don't know," Caulifla answered as she began to visibly tremble. "Your friends probably know what happened when you were out, and I think I know what happened as well."

"Can you tell me?" Gokū asked, with more sincerity than before.

Caulifla hesitated to answer Gokū's question, but then sighed. "Alright. If you're anything like me, then when you looked at the full moon, you must have turned into an Oozaru."

"An Oozaru? Like the one Grandpa Gohan told me about?"

"I don't know what your grandpa told you, but I had to find out the hard way. I grew up in a small village near a dojo early in life. The locals said I was a child from Heaven, and I still don't get why they called me that. Life was good with my adoptive parents, and I had good friends, but I was always told not to stay out late at night, or monsters would get me. One evening, I was out late, and I looked at the full moon. The next thing I knew, it was morning, my clothes were gone, and the entire village, my friends and family…"

Caulifla couldn't finish her story as she began to shed tears and weep. All the while, Gokū's mind began to race. Grandpa Gohan had told him similarly to go to bed early, especially on the nights of the full moon, lest the terrible Oozaru come for him. Caulifla's story sounded eerily similar to what had happened when he had found Grandpa Gohan, and then it hit him.

Gokū had killed Grandpa Gohan.

Tears began to well in Gokū's eyes as the realization hit him like a freight train. This whole time, he was a monster and couldn't even know about it. Even worse, no one had told him the truth, not even Grandpa Gohan. At the same time, it was a form of closure. The mystery of the death of Son Gohan was solved, and he met someone whom he could relate to. It was at this moment, Gokū's mind began to work harder than it had before. He looked over at Caulifla and her free-swinging tail, and came to a decision.

SNAP

"OW!" Caulifla screamed as she felt a sharp pain at the base of her tail. "What the hell was that for?!"

She looked over to Gokū to see that he had ripped her tail off with one swift tug. Tears were in his eyes, yet he had an earnest smile. "This is why we are monsters! I think my friends cut off my tail and that's what turned me back to normal. If you don't have your tail, you won't have to worry about the full moon!"

Gokū tossed the tail over the side of Kinto'un and into the forest below. Caulifla looked at both the forest and Gokū with pure disbelief, and then his words granted her an epiphany. Whenever someone squeezed her tail, she would always feel weaker, and then she began to speculate, could she learn to control herself during a full moon? Such speculation was useless however, since her tail was gone, and in a sense, she felt better for it.

"I, I don't know what to say." Caulifla struggled to find the words to describe what she was feeling. Relief, closure, to a minor extent, regret, and genuine happiness for the first time since before she had lost her home.

"You'll feel off-balance for a little, but you'll get used to it." Gokū replied, his grin returning in full force. "I lost my tail 2 days ago, and I'm already doing better! So, since you found out who you were looking for, you wanna train with Grandpa Kame-sennin with me?"

Caulifla pondered this offer for a few seconds, and then her face went from surprise to determination. "Hell yeah!"

"Alright!" Gokū cheered as Kinto'un began to go full speed and over open water towards the fabled Kame House, where their martial arts training under the legendary Muten Rōshi will begin.

* * *

Kinto'un - Flying Nimbus

Nyoibō - Power Pole

Oozaru - Great Ape

Muten Rōshi - Master Roshi

Kame-Sennin - Turtle Hermit, Roshi's other title

* * *

**A/N:** _So, here's Chapter 1 of an idea I'm sure a lot of us have had, and some among us wanted to do it in a way that makes sense without completely breaking the whole show. I will try to add a key of naming discrepencies whenever I can, for those that are confused, with only new key items added when they turn up. I'm using manga terms to sate an acquaintence of mine, sir LastationLover5000, who happens to be a purist for the manga and is not keen on the dub of the anime. (though there are exceptions, however few there may be) As it turns out, same purist is a decent fic writer (subjective, but whatever) responsible for the Erased Chronicles and half of Heart of Adventurers. Worth reading, and helped me with a rough framework for this idea._

_Technical fluff out of the way, I also tried to keep to Kid Goku's personality as well as maintain Caulifla's hot-headed nature. And to those who may be asking 'Why does Caulifla have a tail?' 'Why does she have her Saiyan name?' 'I thought she was in universe 6. How did she get to Earth?' My answer is Chaos Theory and Fuck you, that's why. Totally fine with people not enjoying the story (though it helps if you do) and I'll bear the criticisms regarding writing style and how I approach it. This is basically my first fic on text, as everything else up until now was cliffnotes and brain wandering. Enjoy! :)_


	2. Chapter 2: The Turtle Hermit's Fee

_**Open Ocean, not far from Kame House**_

Gokū and Caulifla sat on Kinto'un eagerly awaiting their destination. The Somersault cloud knew where to go as it had been to Muten Rōshi's abode before, and gladly responded to Gokū's wish to travel there. All the while, Gokū was recounting the story of his adventure searching for the Dragon Balls, all the way up to their thwarting of Pilaf's plans.

"So, this Oolong guy interrupted Pilaf's wish to rule the world, and made a wish for panties instead?" Caulifla repeated, just to make sure she heard the story correctly.

"He's weird, isn't he?" Gokū answered, his expression blank as ever. "He could've wished for a bunch of food instead."

Caulifla sighed, knowing exactly what sort of person Oolong is. "Well, better Oolong's wish than Pilaf's I guess."

Their story was rudely interrupted by the growling of what sounded like two angry beasts, when in reality it was their stomachs. They both blushed from mild embarrassment at this revelation, and Caulifla spoke up. "You think this Kame-Sennin will have food?"

"I think so," Gokū replied, now feeling the hunger from earlier this morning catch up to him. "I didn't think to bring any food. Oh hey, there's Kame House!"

"You go on ahead," Caulifla ordered as she stood up, tightening her obi. "I'm gonna go catch some food just in case."

"Okay," Gokū responded with a smile. "Just don't catch Mr. Turtle."

"No turtles, got it!" Caulifla gave a thumbs up and dove into the ocean.

Gokū then ordered Kinto'un to stop at the shore of the island of Kame House and proceeded to hop off, carrying his things. He approached the door and knocked lightly but loudly. "Grandpa Kame-Sennin!"

No response. Maybe he wasn't home? Gokū set his futon and supply bag down on the porch and looked around the tiny island until he heard a small noise coming from the window. He looked through and sure enough saw Muten Rōshi at home, watching an exercise program on TV.

"One, two! One, two! One, two!" The girls on TV chanted as the old hermit had his eyes glued to the screen, oblivious to Gokū walking in through his open window.

"Grandpa Kame-Sennin?" Gokū announced his presence, only to be further ignored. The boy then took a deep breath and yelled directly into the old man's ear. "GRANDPA KAME-SENNIN!"

"ACH! JEEZ!" The hermit recoiled at the sudden loud noise tormenting his ear drums, only to look at the source and find it was Gokū. "Oh, it's just you. Don't scare me like that!"

"I'm here for training, grandpa!" Gokū exclaimed, barely able to contain his excitement.

"Hold on, wait a minute!" the old hermit gestured, still transfixed upon the TV.

Gokū tried to be patient, but his stomach was starting to fight against this wait. "Grandpa, I'm kind of hu-"

Before Gokū could finish his sentence, a large tidal wave rocked the island, fortunately not hitting the house and giving it water damage, and the hermit was broken from his perverted trance. Both Gokū and Rōshi immediately raced outside to see what happened, and were greeted by a completely soaked Caulifla holding a massive fish tail over her shoulder, connected to an absolute leviathan of a fish that dwarfed anything Gokū had caught back home.

"Oh, hi Caulifla! Nice catch!" Gokū greeted his new friend staring at the giant future fillet buffet.

"If this isn't gonna taste awesome, I don't know what will!" Caulifla announced, proud of her biggest catch to date. "I haven't fished a lot lately, so I'm gonna enjoy this one a lot!"

"Holy crap!" A stunned Muten Rōshi shouted seeing the small girl hoist a fish bigger than his own house from the ocean. "That could keep my fridge stocked for ten years!"

"Really?" Gokū commented, with a puzzled look on his face. "That looks like it could feed me for ten weeks at most."

"And here I thought _I_ was the one with the monster appetite," Caulifla commented, adjusting the titanic fish's tail over her shoulder for better carrying. "This could last the two of us five weeks before we gotta catch another."

Gokū and Caulifla stared at each other in silence for a moment, and then laughed until Muten Rōshi finally came to his senses and spoke up. "So, Gokū, what're you doing here? And who's your friend?"

"Oh right!" Gokū hadn't forgotten, but his attention was fixated on the fish Caulifla displaced from the ocean. "This is Caulifla. We're here for that training you promised."

"Training? Oh right." Rōshi had forgotten about that offer, though it was only to get more opportunities to ogle at Gokū's friend Bulma. "Where's the cute purple-haired girl?"

"You mean Bulma?" Gokū confirmed. "She went back home to the city after we gathered the Dragon Balls. I brought my own futon by the way."

"Uh-huh," Rōshi nodded, feeling disappointed at this revelation. "Well, you should know that my training's gonna be reaaaally tough!"

"I don't mind! I want to try and become stronger than you!"

"Stronger than me, eh?" Rōshi laughed. "Well, my training doesn't come free."

"Well, what's the price, Gramps?" Caulifla spoke up, still carrying the fish over her shoulder and overhearing the conversation. "I didn't tag along just to find out I need money."

"Oh ho hooo!" Rōshi laughed at Caulifla's brazen attitude. "I'm not asking for money! What I want for you two to do is bring me a cute girl! Not too old, but not too young like you!"

Gokū's blank expression tilted to the side with the rest of his head, showing his confusion, while Caulifla immediately frowned grumpily, knowing what to expect. She turned to Gokū and voiced her complaints. "You keep some tasteless company, you know that?"

"What do you mean?" Gokū's confused face turned to Caulifla.

Caulifla turned to the hermit. "Is there any other option that doesn't involve holding someone against their will?"

The Turtle Hermit stood firm with his decision, but his thought process was rudely interrupted by a call from the other side of the island. Rōshi thought it was the turtle coming back from vacation, but the source of the call was from a bald child rowing a boat, with six distinct circular marks on his forehead. This boy then leaped from his boat carrying his own supplies doing several flips in an effort to look impressive, but failed to stick the landing and very clumsily landed head first into the sand, buried from the neck up.

"Who the hell is this kid?" Rōshi muttered. "Gokū, pull him up."

Gokū complied and pulled the bald boy out from the earth, who then coughed up the sand he accidentally ate as he dusted himself off, and quickly composed a guise of politeness. "Greetings! Are you the fabled Muten Rōshi?"

"Indeed I am, young lad," Rōshi answered, his expression almost as blank as Gokū's.

"I am Kuririn. I came from a village to the far east all this way to receive your training, sir!"

"Well, nice job getting here, but I'm not taking any more disciples at the moment."

Kuririn rummaged through his bag and pulled out an adult magazine, handing it to the hermit. "I brought this magazine to commemorate our meeting sir."

"Well, when you put it that way…"

"Gokū, hold this fish," Caulifla ordered while handing the fish tail to Gokū, who complied with ease, and Caulifla marched over to the new arrival. "Hey Pachinko head! What's the big idea?!"

"HEY!" Kuririn immediately reacted to Caulifla's words. "I'm not a 'Pachinko head!' True martial artists shave their heads to brace their spirits! Just look at Muten Rōshi!"

"I'm just naturally bald," Rōshi commented, still glued to the magazine offered to him.

Kuririn remained silent for a few moments and then spoke again. "Besides, I don't remember Muten Rōshi allowing artichoke-headed girls to study-"

Before Kuririn could finish his sentence, Caulifla launched a left hook into the monk's shiny forehead, causing him to skip across the ocean like a stone five times.

Gokū saw this and laughed. "He bounces like a pachinko ball too!"

Kuririn eventually scrambled back to shore, sopping wet from the ocean, a visible bruise on his head, and his face grumpily pouting with indignation.

Rōshi saw this and settled on allowing Kuririn to try and pay his fee. "Alright, I'll permit the three of you to train if you can pass this one test."

"And what is this test, Muten Rōshi?" Kuririn groveled, causing Caulifla to give the most 'really' look she could muster, and Gokū's look was ever blank, as they both knew what this test was.

"You will have to find me a cute girl if you want training!" Rōshi announced to the young monk. "But, I gotta make sure you know what I'm looking for."

Kuririn grinned mischievously and motioned for the Kame-Sennin to listen for a whisper. After three seconds of near silence, Rōshi jumped up laughing, visible steam escaping his nostrils. "Now you're speaking my language!"

"I finally get answers to something bothering me for the longest time, and this is what I have to suffer through as a result," Caulifla muttered, not pleased with her current situation. "Might as well get this over with."

"If Kuririn knows what we should look for, then this should be easy!" Gokū exclaimed with a grin.

"These two?" Kuririn scoffed, seeing Gokū and Caulifla. "How are these losers supposed to help me in this search?"

"We can use Kinto'un!" Gokū answered, gesturing to his primary mode of transportation. "If you fall through it, you could just use my futon as support!"

"You fly on a cloud?" Kuririn questioned with a look of disbelief. "Welp, might as well try it!"

As soon as Kuririn jumped up to take his seat on Kinto'un, he had returned to earth, his face eating the sand directly below the fluffy cloud. Muten Rōshi immediately took note of this and lectured the monk. "Only those pure of heart can ride on that cloud! Did you come here to train with impure intentions?!"

"N-No! I only want to become a strong martial artist to impress the girls!"

"And so far it's not working," Caulifla remarked, shaking her head in disdain.

"That is also what counts as impure," Rōshi added. "No matter. If you can complete this task with Gokū and Caulifla's aid, I will permit you to train."

Gokū proceeded to lay his futon atop Kinto'un, making it almost resemble a poorly made magic rug, and motioned Kuririn to try again. The monk jumped again, and much to his chagrin, the idea failed, and the futon was shunted through the cloud with a heavy thud.

"How about you just hold on to me while we fly?" Gokū offered, seeing that his futon idea failed.

"Why can't I hold onto-"

Before Kuririn could finish his sentence, Caulifla gave a dagger-filled stare that caused his spine to run cold. "S-Sure, let's go with that."

Gokū climbed atop Kinto'un after folding his futon away off the sand and Kuririn proceeded to hold on from his shoulders. Caulifla shuffled away from the two as much as the cloud's surface would permit, but before they could take off, Gokū had remembered something.

"Wait!" Gokū immediately shouted. "What about that fish? I'm still hungry."

"Tell ya what," the hermit declared. "I'll dice up this fish while you're gone, but I won't be doing the cooking. That'll be up to you."

"Sounds good to me!" Gokū replied gleefully.

With their objective in mind, and the promise of portioned fish, they set off across the ocean towards the mainland in an effort to find someone to sate the hermit's degenerate desires. As the party vanished over the horizon, Rōshi turned to the monumental fish and sighed. "Hope they don't mind if I have some of this. Ah, who am I kidding? I'm the one dicing it up for them!"

* * *

_**Brown Country, Valley Outskirts**_

The valley of this region of the world is normally peaceful, but the tranquility of the valley is violently disturbed by the sounds of revved engines, gunfire, sirens, and the shouting of curses - some of which were conjured on the spot - from a blonde woman with green, aggressive eyes driving a monocycle shooting back at the police officers in pursuit.

"PULL OVER OR WE'LL BE FORCED TO SHOOT!" a disgruntled cop shouted from his hover car, hypocritically shooting his firearm alongside the vehicle's mounted guns.

"Time to end this chase with a bang!" the blonde woman smirked, pulling a grenade from her monocycle's pouch and tearing the pin out with her teeth. She counted mentally as she spat the pin away and tossed the green explosive directly towards the chasing police hover cars. The grenade exploded just as one of the hover cars glided past, causing the vehicle to blast forward and land on its roof. The madwoman snickered as the officers crawled out, looking moderately worse for wear, and radioed for assistance, while the remaining cars continued pursuit. She veered right, driving up the side of the cliff to try and shake the pursuing cars, only for them to find a quick path to the top. Noticing this, the woman pulled out a sawn off shotgun, and cocked a shell, aiming it directly at the now panicking pursuers of the law.

"Yippee ki-yay, motherfu… ah, aaah-" the blonde began to shout, until some of her hair began to get into her face and tickle her nose, causing her to seize up, her nostrils flaring, until she let out a massive sneeze that launched her off her monocycle and landed her just behind the flying police cars. When she landed, her blonde hair was deep blue, and her once green eyes now matched her hair. Her harsh demeanor had drastically softened, and was visibly confused. "Where… am I?"

"Lunch!" one of the officers shouted, trembling and aiming his firearm at the woman, now called Lunch. "You are under arrest for destruction of public property, aggravated assault, unlicensed possession of firearms-"

"Who are you people?" Lunch interrupted, confused, and mildly scared. "When did I do any of that?"

"Are you mad, woman?!" a second, slightly shorter officer shouted. "You just threw a grenade at one of our squad cars! The Brown Country Police Department is gonna be hurting financially after what you just did!"

"But, I don't even know how I got here." Lunch responded, now shuffling back away.

"Listen, it's for your own good and everyone around you that we take you into custody." The first officer jabbed. "You are a complete menace to society!"

"Heeeeeeeeelp!" Lunch screamed at the top of her lungs, her confusion turned to fear as she was utterly clueless as to how she ended up in this scenario in the first place.

* * *

_**Skies above Brown Country**_

"You hear that?" Gokū asked, noticing a high-pitched voice echo across the valley.

"Hear what?" Kuririn answered, still not pleased with having to hang off Gokū's shoulders for this trip. "All I can hear is the wind."

"I heard it," Caulifla answered more helpfully. "It sounded like a scream for help, somewhere in that direction."

"Let's go check it out then!" Gokū motioned for Kinto'un to follow Caulifla's pointed direction.

"Wait!" Kuririn interrupted. "What about Muten Rōshi's mission?!"

"The voice sounded like a woman's," Caulifla retorted. "Maybe we could kill two birds with one stone by helping this woman out and… bring her to Gramps."

Caulifla struggled to voice the last portion of the sentence, but Gokū, being the clueless one that he was, went along with it, and continued to have Kinto'un follow the sounds of the screams.

* * *

_**Brown Country, Valley Outskirts**_

Before the officers could step forward to apply handcuffs to Lunch, a whirring sound came from overhead, and three children dropped from what looked like a flying marshmallow, the first being Son Gokū, landing neatly, with Kuririn landing not as gracefully, but far more than with his first introduction, and Caulifla, landing on her feet, but then falling flat on her face.

"Dang it!" she groaned. "Still not used to my new balance yet."

Kuririn immediately scurried behind a large rock and shouted to the officers. "Just for the record, this was their idea!"

The shorter officer spoke up. "Who the heck are you three?"

"I have nothing to do with them!" Kuririn shouted again from behind his rock.

"We heard screams for help, so we came to help," Gokū answered honestly.

"Y-You're here to help that menace to society?!" The taller officer stammered. "We're here to take her into custody for all the trouble she's caused! She blew up one of our cars!"

"How about we take her off your hands then?" Caulifla interrupted, dusting herself off from two more stumbles. "If she's that much of a menace, we know of a place where she won't cause trouble."

"Y-Yeah! We'll take her somewhere that works out for everybody!" Kuririn stepped out from behind his rock, attempting to save face.

The two officers looked at each other and then back at the trio, and then shrugged, the taller officer speaking. "Alright, as long as we don't catch her causing trouble here again."

The officers took to their cars and left the valleys, sirens finally off. Gokū muttered to himself. "I kinda wanted to fight those guys."

"Those guys weren't the fighting type anyways," Caulifla added. "They would be too easy to beat."

Lunch turned to the trio with glee. "Thank you so much! I was so scared, I didn't know what was going on! How can I repay you?"

"If you don't mind, we've been looking for someone for a… project of ours." Caulifla spoke first, struggling to find the words to hide Muten Rōshi's objective without blatantly lying.

"Grandpa Kame-Sennin wanted us to find a cute girl for him." Gokū clarified, immediately destroying Caulifla's attempts of a silver tongue causing both her and Kuririn to fall back comically, only for the former to spring back up and begin shouting at the naive boy.

"WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?!" Caulifla's temper was similar to Bulma's in this one moment, her face tinted red and fuming.

"Sure, I'll go!" Lunch interrupted before Caulifla could lash out. "You saved me from those mean cops, so it's the least I could do."

Caulifla looked at Lunch with befuddlement. '_She's almost as clueless as Gokū.'_ She then snapped herself out of the bewildered trance and motioned for Lunch to test Kinto'un. It was bad enough to have one degenerate hanging by someone's shoulders. Fortunately the cloud accepted Lunch and she clamored on top ready to go. Everyone boarded - with Kuririn holding onto Gokū for dear life - and Kinto'un shot towards the sky, its destination being Kame House.

"So, where are we going?" Lunch asked, taking in the sights of the perspective Kinto'un was providing.

"There's a little island to the south with a house," Gokū answered, spinning in his spot to speak face to face with the new passenger, causing Kuririn to grip tighter so as to not fall. "So, why were those guys after you?"

"I'm not sure. I remember I was enjoying a soda at this local bar, and some dust caused me to sneeze, and I was immediately outside surrounded by those cops."

Kuririn didn't pay much mind to this, but Gokū and Caulifla were left stunned. This woman clearly didn't have a tail, but seemed to undergo some weird transformation whenever she sneezed. Caulifla spoke up first, choosing her words carefully. "Did this happen a lot?"

"Yes, actually," Lunch answered honestly. "Whenever I sneezed, I wound up either surrounded by things I didn't own, several guns, or any number of situations that seemed violent, usually in a completely different place. I think I switch personalities whenever it happens."

Gokū and Caulifla looked at each other for a moment, and then looked back towards Lunch. "We could try to help you figure out why that's happening," Gokū spoke up.

"Thank you!" Lunch bowed giddily. Gokū then spun back into his forward position, much to Kuririn's chagrin.

"Could you at least warn me when you're gonna spin on your spot?!" Kuririn shouted at his clueless lifeline.

"Sorry!" Gokū apologized, now seeing the distinct pink panelling and label of Kame House over the horizon. "There it is!"

Kinto'un began its descent to the small island as Muten Rōshi's training would truly begin in ernest.

And of course enjoy some fish.

* * *

Kuririn - Krillin

Lunch - Launch

* * *

**A/N: **_Okay, this one was a doozy, because Roshi being Roshi. That said, I "THINK" I got the vibes down pat. Everyone's favorite bald monk is now here, and Lo and behold, Caulifla get's the first strike on the Krillin Owned Counter! (feel free to complain about that TFS joke)  
_

_Also, the giant fish was simply a fun bit for me to write. Enjoy! :)_


	3. Chapter 3: Sprints and Stones

_**Coast of Elche Island**_

Lunch was sufficient to Muten Rōshi's desires and the trio of Gokū, Caulifla and Kuririn, were permitted to train. Due to the lack of space on his island, and after realizing how dangerous Lunch's blonde personality can be, the hermit has elected that they relocate to a much larger island to the south, converting his home to a capsule for easy transport and making their way by boat. There was not enough seating for everyone, so Gokū elected to use Kinto'un instead, and Caulifla chose to travel by magic cloud as well to avoid more shenanigans with the turtle hermit. The trip did not take long and Muten Rōshi was quick to unpack his house in a vacant, secluded space on the island.

"Hoo-kay!" Rōshi exclaimed, eager to run his pupils through the grinder. "Let's start off with some trials before lunchtime. Gokū, what are you doing up there?"

"There are other houses on this island!" Gokū replied, coming down from his elevated viewing spot on Kinto'un.

"Well I never said this island was deserted," Rōshi elaborated. "About 300 people live here. We just set up shop out of their way is all."

Gokū was pumped up, Caulifla was curious to see what methods the hermit would employ, hopefully more tasteful than his interests, and Kuririn, being the smug toadie he was, stood there with a small smile and his arms folded. Lunch then spoke up. "Me too?"

"You, my dear, may do whatever you wish during our time here," Rōshi answered, trying to sound suave.

"Well, in that case, I'll cook dinner. I saw you had a bunch of raw fish filleh.. Ah.. ah.."

Immediately, everyone began to panic and run for cover and comically hid behind the same small rock, waiting for the sneeze, only for Lunch to end with a yawn, and walked back to the house to prepare the fillets. Everyone breathed a heavy sigh of relief, and Rōshi tried to compose himself. "Cowards! How will you ever become combat masters if you're scared by a yawn?!"

"Coming from the guy who joined us in the cowering," Caulifla retorted, giving an incredulous look. "Not that I blame you. She's scary when she's blonde!"

Rōshi cleared his throat, working to change the subject. "Anyways, I understand Gokū learned some Martial arts basics from one of my previous pupils, Son Gohan, but what about you two?"

"I trained 8 years at the Orin Temple!" Kuririn answered eagerly. "It was tough, but I have a good grasp on the basics."

"There was a dojo my village was close to that I visited regularly," Caulifla answered. "I attended there for about 6 years, until..."

Caulifla trailed off, remembering what had happened, and she began to tremble, catching Rōshi's attention. "Hm. We can leave details after your attendance be for now."

"So, you all have a decent grasp on the fundamentals. Alright, let's see what you've got. Exactly 100 meters from this boulder we were *ahem* bracing ourselves behind is that tree over there. I want to see how long it takes you to sprint from here to there. Of course while being a fast runner isn't all there is to martial arts, it never hurts to have strong legs."

"I'll go first," Kuririn stepped forward, confident in his performance. "These legs are good enough to qualify for the Olympics."

Rōshi then proceeded to make his way to the tree, and pulled out a stopwatch. Once everyone was in position, Rōshi raised his hand. "Ready… Set… Go!"

His hand came down and the timer was clicked. As if on instinct, Kuririn bolted down the path running as fast as he could, which was certainly an impressive pace for any onlookers. As soon as the monk zipped past Rōshi, the stopwatch was clicked. "Impressive! 100 meters in 10.4 seconds!"

Kuririn, meanwhile, was panting from his sprint. "10.4 seconds? My personal best... was 10.1, but it's still not bad, all things considered."

Caulifla rolled her eyes at this boast, and Gokū requested he go up next, leaving Kuririn to silently judge his stance as well. The same as before, Rōshi said 'Go!' and Gokū ran, but was caught off guard by a slight tearing noise in his feet. When he passed the hermit, the stopwatch clicked, and Rōshi looked at the time. "Not bad. 11 seconds flat. Not as fast as Kuririn, but still good."

Gokū, meanwhile, was not short of breath like Kuririn.

"Please, sir!" Kuririn spoke, being the boastful toadie he was trying to be, causing Caulifla to palm her face. "It's not fair to compare him to me, though he did well in his own way."

"Grandpa Kame-Sennin, can I change my shoes and try again?" Gokū spoke up, lifting one of his feet showing the issue. "Mine are kinda busted."

Sure enough, the soles of his shoes were completely torn away from the toes revealing his actual toes beneath. Rōshi nodded, allowing the boy to switch to a new pair of shoes and try again without any hindrances. Gokū performed the sprint one more time, and cleared the distance even faster than before, causing the hermit's beard to billow in the wind. "8.5... seconds…"

"So, is that fast?" Gokū asked, feeling proud of his sprint. Kuririn was dumbfounded, and Caulifla was impressed as well, but kept her composure.

"Alright, my turn." Caulifla stepped up, ready to sprint. After seeing Gokū's performance, she checked her own shoes to make sure they wouldn't fall apart on her as well.

"Ready… Set… GO!"

Caulifla's sprint was comparable to Gokū's in terms of speed. When her time was clicked, her breathing was not ragged either, and she stood there, waiting to see her time.

"8.9 seconds!"

"Darn. Not as good as Gokū's time, but still better than the golf ball over there." Caulifla jabbed, causing Kuririn to fume with indignation and turn red in the face.

"The three of you are quite amazing," Rōshi commented. "But you are still within human limits! If you are to become masters of martial arts, you must break the wall of humanity! _That_ is the challenge! Kuririn, clock my time for me, will you?"

The hermit handed Kuririn the stopwatch and took off the shell that was hanging on his back. The hermit then walked over to the same rock everyone else was using as the measurement. "Whenever you're ready!"

Kuririn raised his arm, readied the stopwatch, and began the count. "Ready, Set, Go!"

The old hermit then bolted across the distance, clearing it with speed that was almost too ridiculous to believe. When the hermit passed, Kuririn clicked the timer, leaving the monk stuttering at the number left. "F-F-Five p-point s-s-six!"

As Kuririn was practically struggling for words, Gokū and Caulifla could only leave their jaws slack open in amazement. Rōshi, meanwhile, was not short of breath either, as he put his shell back on. "5.6, eh? Not too bad for this old bag of bones."

The hermit then turned to his students, clearing his throat for their attention. "THAT is what I mean by breaking the wall of humanity! At your age, with training and discipline, you should be able to clear that distance in under 5 seconds. Now, that sprint has got me thirsty. Gokū, can you fetch me a beer?"

"Beer?" Gokū repeated, tilting his head to the side, showing his confusion.

"I'll go get it for you, master!" Kuririn volunteered, his sycophantic behavior coming in full force after seeing the hermit's demonstration. As he was trotting to the house he thought to himself. '_And to think I was worried he was just a senile old perv!'_ A similar thought ran through Caulifla's head.

The Kame-Sennin turned to Gokū, addressing him. "For one to master martial arts, one must also be knowledgeable, so we may have to work on that."

"If it helps, I can get him up to speed on some things," Caulifla spoke up. "Gokū actually helped me with a problem I've had for the longest time, and I've traveled a lot and seen a lot of things, so I should at least repay him in some way."

"All I did was rip off her tail so she wouldn't turn into a monster," Gokū clarified, oblivious to her sensitivities on the subject.

"COULD YOU PLEASE NOT BRING THAT UP?!" Caulifla screamed, red in the face, tears welling up in her eyes. "You seriously need to learn subtlety when you speak!"

"She had a tail like you did?" Rōshi questioned to Gokū, mildly curious.

"Yeah, but I guess I shouldn't bring it up," Gokū answered, now getting the idea Caulifla is trying to drive home.

"_Thank you,_" Caulifla sighed exasperatingly. "We can talk about it some other-"

"**GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY BEER YOU LITTLE SHIT!**" a loud, aggressive scream erupted from Kame House, its source being a very angry Lunch in her blonde state chasing a very terrified Kuririn with a bloodied meat cleaver and apron, likely from preparing the leviathan fish, though that made her resemble a much more attractive version of a psycho killer from a horror movie.

* * *

_**Later that day**_

"The sun is setting," Rōshi announced. "Dinner awaits when we head back to the house. Tomorrow the real training begins, so before we end the day today, I have one more test for the three of you."

"Are we gonna run again?" Gokū asked, genuinely curious about the test.

"There may be a race, yes," Rōshi answered calmly. "But that's not the whole test."

Bending over, the Kame-Sennin picked up a small rock and pulled a marker from a pocket behind his shell, writing down a small symbol on it. "亀" He then faced the rock, symbol forward towards his pupils. "Look closely at this rock, and memorize it."

"Okay, but what's the rock for?" Caulifla asked, less curious and more dumbfounded at what the old man was going to do.

"The rock is for this!" Rōshi shouted, and then tossed the rock into the dense jungle on the far side of the island. The hermit then smiled at how far he threw the rock. "Hm. Good throw on my part."

"Oh no…" Caulifla was quick to catch on to what Rōshi's test would involve.

"What?" Gokū asked, seeing Caulifla start to bead sweat from nervousness. "Is this some kind of rock throwing contest?"

"No lad, it's a rock _finding_ contest!" Rōshi clarified. "It takes a lot of mental power and constitution to find such an object in such a forest, not to mention the stamina to endure the search. The one who brings it back is the winner, but _only_ the winner gets dinner."

The trio began to panic, Gokū and Caulifla most of all, and then Rōshi added. "To add to the challenge, you have to find the rock within 30 minutes, otherwise _none_ of you gets to eat."

The trio immediately bolted in the direction of the rock where it was tossed, coming up to a cliff. Gokū and Caulifla jumped down towards the dense forest below, the latter with a tad more grace, and Kuririn stood there dumbfounded as they took to the forest with relative ease. Eventually his stomach snapped him out of the stupor and he began running down towards the forest, but eventually the monk had an idea.

"Wait a minute, no one could find that rock in 30 minutes, but…" Kuririn's mind began to work, and he began to chuckle to himself as his plan formed. Completely avoiding the forest, he picked up a similar-looking stone, and then headed to one of the houses on the island asking to borrow a marker. Drawing the symbol onto the rock, he then returned to Muten Rōshi, trying to look absolutely exhausted in the process, and handed the Kame-Sennin the stone, only have it thrown back at his forehead.

"That's not my handwriting you twit!" Rōshi scolded. "I'm not so old as to be fooled by that! Find me the real rock!"

"S-Sorry!" Kuririn hastily apologized as he resumed his search honestly this time.

* * *

**Elche Island, Deep in the jungle**

Gokū was sniffing around for the rock, for Muten Rōshi's scent was present on the rock, and he could tell it was here, unless the hermit was searching alongside him just to throw him off, but that seemed unlikely. Eventually, his nose led him to exactly what he was looking for: A small rock with the symbol "亀" etched on it in marker. As he reached out to grab it, the rock suddenly vanished, and Caulifla was making her way back to Kame House.

"Too slow!" Caulifla taunted, sticking her tongue out and pulling down her eyelid in a mocking fashion. This would cost her as she was not watching where she was going, and ran into a saber-toothed tiger. The beast bore its massive fangs and snarled, seeing Caulifla as a tasty morsel before dinner. "Uh, nice kitty?"

The tiger roared, and began to give chase. Caulifla began running in an absolute panic away from the hungry tiger, but then saw a golden opportunity to lose the proverbial king of the jungle, and ran right towards an unsuspecting Gokū. "Have fun with Mittens, Gokū!"

Caulifla zipped by the boy and immediately turned away, hoping the tiger would give chase to him instead. Much to her fortune, the plan worked and saw the tiger change course and go after Gokū. She mischievously giggled to herself, but stopped when she noticed her hands felt lighter. Looking at her hands, she noticed the rock was missing, and heard Gokū's laugh echo through the jungle.

"That rat bastard!" Caulifla cursed, immediately giving chase after the boy, and by extension, the tiger. As soon as she saw the tiger in sight, what happened next stunned her. Gokū began muttering an incantation she had never heard before. "Ka… Me… Ha... Me…"

A blue ball of light built in Gokū's cupped hands, rock tucked under his arm, and as quick as a flash, turned around and thrust his hands directly at the pursuing tiger.

"HA!"

A small blue beam of light exploded from Gokū's hands and hit the tiger, sending it flying back, and singing its fur. The big cat eventually hit its head on a large boulder, growing a large bump and going unconscious. Caulifla meanwhile had stars in her eyes as she could not believe what she had just witnessed. Gokū just shot what looked like a laser beam at the tiger, with nothing but his bare hands! Completely forgetting her objective, Caulifla raced over to Gokū with the unbridled excitement of a child visiting a candy store.

"Gokū!" Caulifla shouted. "What was that you just did?! It was amazing! You shot a laser at that big tiger with just your hands!"

"Huh?" Gokū turned to see a maniacally excited Caulifla and answered. "That was the Kamehameha. Grandpa Kame-Sennin came up with the technique and I've been practicing trying to do it myself. I'm still not as good as he is at it."

"Can you show me?!" Caulifla squealed, barely able to contain her excitement after witnessing such a technique. "I wanna know how to do it! I wanna I wanna I wanna!"

Gokū was visibly confused at this intense excitement. Even he was never this excited for anything so much that he forgot what he was doing, just like Caulifla is doing now. "Sure, but not right now. I still gotta deliver this rock to-"

Gokū held up his hands to show Caulifla the rock he had to return, only to notice the rock was completely missing, and immediately began to dart his perspective in several directions looking for where it had gone, only to catch a tiny glint of a bald scalp disappear into the jungle.

"KURIRIN!" Gokū shouted, immediately bolting towards the direction of the monk.

"Hey!" Caulifla snapped, beginning to give chase, still forgetting her true goal of the day. "Get back here! I still want to know how you did that kamekame-thingy!"

Gokū was now focused on two things: Catching Kuririn and taking back the signed rock, and outpacing Caulifla and her new demeanor of crazy. Kuririn tried several things to shake Gokū off his trail, from cutting a bridge over a chasm to hucking another fake rock in an effort to draw Gokū's attention away from the real one, but the spiky-haired boy did not let up. "How on earth do I get rid of you?!"

Kuririn's answer came in the form of a spiky-haired girl tackling Gokū from behind. Locked in a vicious duel with one another over the teaching of a technique, Kuririn capitalized on this squabble and snuck away to Muten Rōshi, who was waiting patiently sitting on a boulder smoking a pipe, to deliver the rock.

"Here's the real deal, Muten Rōshi!" Kuririn announced with glee, knowing he has the actual rock the Kame-sennin threw into the jungle.

"Hmm," Rōshi inspected. "Yep! That's the real deal!"

Kuririn sighed with relief, whilst Gokū and Caulifla's fight continued without any visible end in sight. Rōshi took notice of this, and approached the comical dust cloud, and thumped his cane down onto the earth to gain their attention. The fight paused, and as the dust cloud cleared, it revealed that Caulifla just about to bite down on Gokū's ankle, and Gokū tugging on Caulifla's hair. "That's enough! What possessed you two to start fighting each other all of a sudden?"

"I used a Kamehameha to stop this tiger from chasing me, and Caulifla saw it and wanted to learn how to do it," Gokū explained, trying to catch his breath. "I told her I would show her after this, but she wouldn't leave me alone!"

"It was your fault for using that technique in the first place, Gokū!" Caulifla shouted. "It was so cool and amazing, I needed to know how to do it myself!"

Rōshi thumped his cane once more to silence his pupils. "Gokū, using a Kamehameha with your level of expertise is careless, as it can easily take a toll on your stamina more than you are prepared for, much less teach someone else how to use it. Use of such an unmastered technique during a test is a poor decision. As for you Caulifla, I am especially disappointed by your ability to be so easily distracted by a mere demonstration of such a technique by your fellow pupil, that you forget your main objective! Regardless, Kuririn passed the test and got me the rock within the time limit, so that means no dinner for either of you. Let this also be a lesson for your lack of discipline."

The hermit then marched back to Kame House with a relieved Kuririn walking not far behind, glad he gets to enjoy dinner, whilst Gokū and Caulifla stood there ashamed of themselves not only for disappointing Muten Rōshi, but also for failing the test and having to go without food until morning. This thought alone made their stomachs growl in unison, and they walked back to the house, their heads hung low in shame.

The two walked into the house and saw a sight that would be pleasing to most, but tormented their stomachs even more. Rōshi, Kuririn and Lunch were sat at the table enjoying a delicious-looking banquet of rice and fish fillets prepared from Caulifla's catch, irritating the small girl more than it did Gokū.

"Goodness me, Lunch!" Rōshi exclaimed, happily enjoying the sauteed fish. "This is exquisite! I didn't know you were such a good cook!"

"Thank you!" Lunch accepted with glee. "I thought you would like it."

"Muten Rōshi, you have to try this sauce with it!" Kuririn gleefully motioned to a small bowl of soy sauce with tiny leek shreds floating within.

Having enough of this culinary torture to his senses, Gokū grabbed his futon and bag of supplies and went outside, with Caulifla quick to follow, but did not bring her supplies, as she did not have any. The door closed, and the three at the table continued enjoying the feast.

Caulifla immediately ran up to Gokū suspecting he was going to leave. "Are you giving up that easily?"

"No," Gokū answered flatly, unfolding his futon onto the ground. "I just don't want to be around food when I can't eat, so I'm sleeping outside."

"That… actually makes sense." Caulifla hesitated mid-sentence, realizing how much she herself enjoys food, and to be around food when you're not allowed a single morsel would be more torture than is worth. "I wish I brought a futon as well. Oh who am I kidding? I didn't bring anything!"

"Maybe we could share?" Gokū offered. "I know you like personal space, but my futon is pretty big."

"I appreciate the offer, but no thanks," Caulifla retorted. "I've slept without a proper bed before and I can do so again. Besides, it might be… awkward sharing a futon."

Gokū, as clueless as he may be, began to catch onto Caulifla's definition of subtlety, and chose not to pry on the subject, simply responding with an "okay." Since it was still fairly early in the evening, Gokū opted to simply sit on his futon until it was actually time for bed. He would have done some basic exercises to pass the time, but between draining his energy with the Kamehameha he used earlier and having to go without food, he elected against it. Eventually, Caulifla walked over and sat on the opposite side of the futon, her back facing Gokū's.

"I thought you didn't want to share the futon?" Gokū inquired.

"I meant only for sleeping, not sitting," Caulifla retorted. "I just didn't want to sit on the ground is all."

An hour of silence between them passed, neither saying a word and trying their best to think of anything that would not aggravate their temperamental stomachs. Eventually, Caulifla got up. "Okay, I need to make some bed stuff."

"Make some bed stuff?" Gokū repeated, tilting his head.

"I didn't bring anything for this trip, so I have to improvise," Caulifla began tearing a few palm fronds from a nearby tree and then amassed some now-uprooted slabs of grassy turf into a makeshift bed. After the earthen mattress was put together, she began weaving the palm fronds into a blanket, making sure to tuck the spikes at the ends of the leaves so as to not cut or poke her in her sleep. Gokū, meanwhile, pulled out his blanket from his supply bag and began to tuck himself in on the futon. As she settled in and pulled the weaved palm blanket over herself, she spoke up. "Hey Gokū?"

"Huh?" the sleepy Gokū muttered.

"Since I didn't get the chance to say it before, sorry for breaking into your house."

"It's alright. You were looking for someone who could help you with your tail problem, and I got to meet a new friend."

"Friend?"

"Yeah. You also helped me figure out some things I didn't know before with the full moon and the Oozaru. Thank you."

"No problem. Also, I might be wrong, but I think training might be put off for the next couple of days."

"Why's that?"

"Something about the food Lunch cooked smelt… off."

"Now that you mention it, it did smell weird."

"Maybe it's a good thing we didn't get dinner tonight. If I'm right, and training is put off, could you show me how you did that laser thing in the meantime?"

"You mean the Kamehameha? Sure. Grandpa Kame-Sennin is right that I need the practice with it anyways. Night."

"Night."

Both children drifted to sleep under a waning moon, wondering what tomorrow will hold for them. True to Caulifla's suspicions, tomorrow would be uneventful, as well as the two days after, for Lunch had poorly prepared the fish fillets by redundantly incorporating mismanaged fugu fish. The odor was subtle enough for only Gokū and Caulifla to notice, and since Muten Rōshi, Kuririn, and Lunch herself all ate the tainted buffet, they had to endure two days of food poisoning with the third being their bounce back, much to the long-term relief of Gokū and Caulifla, who cooked their own food for those three days.

* * *

"亀" - "Turtle"

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, this was a fun chapter to write. We got Kuririn being a total kiss-ass, Caulifla going from hot-head to a psychotic kid in a candy store, and Gokū being Gokū. I actually borrowed some TFS Vegeta for Caulifla's little episode, with the whole "I wanna I wanna I wanna!" And if anyone's gonna judge Rōshi for being so stern when scolding Gokū and Caulifla, you gotta remember that he's probably dealt with students infighting over silly reasons in the past. Dude's over three centuries old and likely has had quite a few students in that time. I also wanted to include the scolding, because in canon it was "Oh hey, Kuririn won, Gokū get's to watch people eat and suffer." With Caulifla in the picture, I got to change things up a tad. Also, picture this: Caulifla tutoring Gokū. Ima leave you folks with that thought. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! :)  
_


	4. Chapter 4: The Labors of the Muten Rōshi

_**Elche Island, evening before training day**_

"HA!"

A small blue beam erupted from a comparably small pair of hands, boring into a nearby boulder. The beam eventually dissipated, and the hands they emitted from fell to the ground, as their owner, a rather exhausted Caulifla, had been practicing the Kamehameha technique alongside Gokū all day.

"Whew!" Caulifla sighed, looking at the depth of the hole she created with the technique she was trying to grasp. "I think I'm half-way through this rock now!"

Gokū, meanwhile, was also breathing heavily as he had finished launching his own Kamehameha into a different yet similar rock, and inspecting the results. "I think mine almost made it through the other side."

"Well, you've had practice before I picked it up," Caulifla groaned, as she fell back onto the cool grass, gasping for air, yet smiling in spite of herself. "I was worried your explanation wouldn't make sense, but it kinda did."

"I'm only saying it as how I saw it," Gokū retorted, similarly gasping for air, and also grinning. "I pull from that warmth in my gut and move it to my hands and say the words."

"Muten Rōshi was right," Caulifla added, pushing herself to her feet. "It _does_ take a toll on your stamina. At least we got the past three days to practice before the official training starts."

"It's too bad everyone else got sick," a tired Gokū sighed, as he stood up, brushing himself off. Before he could speak his mind, two angry beasts let out a loud growl, those beasts being the stomachs of the two children. "How about we cook up some of those fillets before bed?"

"Sure!" Caulifla eagerly agreed. "Just let me get all the cooking stuff together and I can show you how I prepared fish back home."

The two then trotted back to Kame House to prepare their own feast, absent of mismanaged fugu meat. From behind the tree that was used for the 100 meter sprint test, Muten Rōshi was watching his pupils take initiative with mastering the Kamehameha and then go inside to prepare some food. "Those two are something else. I can only wonder how they'll handle the regimen tomorr-"

Before the Kame-Sennin could finish his aloud thought, he immediately ran to the ocean and let out the most foul noises and matter born from the fugu poisoning, both of which were fortunately drowned out by the ocean waves.

"Eugh," the hermit groaned after heaving into the ocean. "That should be the last of it. Fugu is off the menu forever."

* * *

_**Elche Island, Training Day, 4:30 A.M.**_

"Wakey wakey Orin Monk!"

A very energetic cry erupted from Muten Rōshi's lungs, as the alarm clock tied above Kuririn's head rung with trademark annoyance. The monk groggily woke up and turned his sleepy eyes to the alarm clock in question. "Really? It's 4:30 in the morning."

"Are you going to be a baby about it, or are you going to train?!" Rōshi scolded, going into mild drill sergeant mode. "Get dressed while I go wake the others!"

Kuririn slowly rolled out of his bed, and made efforts to wake himself up as he got dressed. Rōshi, meanwhile looked for Gokū and Caulifla, wondering where they went, but remembered they've taken to sleeping outside. Stepping out into the cool morning, with the sun's glow barely indicated over the horizon, the hermit saw that the two had upgraded their living situation by building some makeshift awnings to keep rain out. By their beds were alarm clocks they had placed, but had set for two hours from now, leaving the Kame-Sennin to wake them properly. "Wakey wakey scouts! Camping trip's over! Time to train!"

The two slowly stirred from their slumbers and began to roll out of their beds. Caulifla muttered, trying to wake up. "Who turned off the sun?"

"The sun hasn't turned on yet!" Rōshi shouted with a hint of excitement. "It's always best to start the day bright and early enough that we beat the bright and early to the punch! Now get dressed and ready to train!"

Gokū complied with ease, putting on his shirt, pants, and shoes, ready to go, now more awake for the trials ahead. Caulifla emerged at a similar pace, but since she chose to sleep in her gi, she was already dressed. She thought to herself that she may need to upgrade her living arrangements further and get a spare outfit or two just for training, but chose to put it off until after today wraps up. Kuririn made his way out of the house, unaware he had just avoided a sneeze encounter with Lunch, and stood at attention, with Gokū and Caulifla quick to fall in line, with Rōshi standing in front of them, hands folded behind his back, ready to address his pupils.

"Alright!" the Kame-Sennin sternly shouted. "Without further delay, you will now begin your education in the Turtle school of Martial Arts. Before we begin, let me say a few words about martial arts."

The hermit cleared his throat. "One does not study martial arts to win mere fights or woo girls _Kuririn_," Rōshi intoned, emphasizing Kuririn's name, causing the monk to seize up and Caulifla to smirk. Gokū remained blank. "One masters those arts for their own health in mind and body, for the ability to live one's life to the fullest."

"But!" Rōshi's tone turning more serious now. "If there are any who seek to harm or terrorize you or any other decent people with power they are less than deserving of, you must defeat such enemies with one swift strike! Do you understand?"

Kuririn and Caulifla nodded, while Gokū's blank expression persisted. "Uh, not really." the spiky-haired boy responded honestly.

"Just train hard, enjoy life, and fight bad guys," the hermit sighed, condensing his elaborate speech into layman's terms. "Does _that_ make sense to you?"

"That makes sense!" Gokū answered, now getting the big picture. Kuririn looked at Gokū thinking he's an idiot, while Caulifla simply thought he's been in the mountains for too long. Their thought processes were interrupted when Rōshi spoke up again. "Enough talk! Let the training commence! For starters, let's do some light jogging. Try and keep pace!"

The trio followed the old master, keeping pace with relative ease. Kuririn began thinking that the tales of Rōshi's training regimen were exaggerated, while Gokū and Caulifla rolled with it, minds occupied to see what the hermit will pull from under his sleeve. The group eventually came to a building labeled "MILK" with a silhouetted picture of a cow diving above. Out from behind the garage door on the side of the building was a cow man hauling out three crates of milk.

"Halt!" Rōshi shouted, holding his cane arm out, signalling the following trio to stop. "Good morning sir. I'm Kame-Sennin. I called yesterday about volunteering?"

"Oh yes of course!" the cow man answered with glee. "Thank you so much for the help! The crates are ready to be delivered. Here's the delivery route."

The Kame-Sennin inspected the paper handed to him by the cow man and nodded

"Alright, each one of you take a crate! We're delivering milk!"

Gokū kept a blank expression while Caulifla raised an eyebrow, not expecting this, and Kuririn was dumbfounded to see this was on the to-do list. "This is what we're doing? Delivering milk?!"

"Yep!" Rōshi responded flatly. "It'll be good exercise for the three of ya."

"Hold on! You're going on foot?" the cow man stammered, expecting the group to use the helicopter on the other side of the building.

"Of course! It would be lousy training if they used a helicopter! Now, we'll make our delivery to the first house 2 kilometers from here… Skipping!"

The Kame-Sennin begin to trot down the path, singing a simple, improvised tune to the beat of his skipping, and while his students were not singing along, they were keeping pace skipping across the 2 kilometer stretch to the first delivery, their cargo lightly clinking in the crates they were carrying. By the time the group reached their first stop, Gokū and Caulifla only had minor beads of sweat on their forehead, Kuririn's breath was already haggard, and Rōshi was not winded at all. Kuririn exasperatingly took the empty milk bottle from the labeled box at their stop and deposited a fresh bottle.

"Good," Rōshi declared, seeing Kuririn has completed stop number one of their quota for today. "Now for the next kilometer, we'll run zig-zags down this path. Best keep up the pace or the milk will go sour."

The students proceeded to follow Rōshi's instruction of following the path in a zig-zag formation, keeping pace. Trying to in Kuririn's case. It wasn't long before Gokū and Caulifla would show clearer signs of exhaustion just like Kuririn, and were given a minute of respite at the top of a winding staircase up a mountain. When the two got to the top, Rōshi was casually smoking his pipe, and saw the two climb the final steps, looking very winded. "So even you two are running out of steam eh?" the hermit commented with a chuckle.

"I'd ask if we could use Kinto'un," Caulifla stated, taking deep breaths to give her lungs much-needed oxygen. "But that would be too easy, wouldn't it?"

Clever girl," Rōshi confirmed, puffing a ring of smoke up from his pipe. "What training would there be if you just let a magic cloud do all the work? I gotta admit, this takes me back to when Gyūmaō and Gohan were training in the same way."

"Grandpa Gohan did this training also?" Gokū inquired with surprise and followed up amazement. "Wow... Now I really wanna give it my all!"

"I like your spirit, lad." Rōshi commented, standing up. "Oh hey, you finally made it, Kuririn."

The monk in question was heaving and sweating far more than anyone in the group had seen before. Kuririn then grabbed a full bottle of milk and made the exchange at this building's box, wheezing the entire way, not saying a word almost like a manic zombie, but more lively and comical. Once the empty bottle was put into Kuririn's crate, another monk, far older and not from the same temple as Kuririn, stepped outside to greet the errand pupils of Muten Rōshi.

"My my, thank you very much!" the monk spoke gingerly, pleased to see the venerable Muten Rōshi training new students with his ways. "It's nice to see you in good health, Muten Rōshi, and training these three pupils too. It certainly has been a while."

"Indeed it's been a while, and thank you for noticing my health." Rōshi replied, taking a guise of formality with the monk.

"Hi!" Gokū spoke up, raising a hand in a greeting fashion. "My name's Son Gokū!"

"Manners!" Rōshi scolded, thumping the large end of his cane against Gokū's head. "It's not 'Hi,' it's 'Good morning!'"

"S-Sorry," Gokū winced, holding where the cane hit his head. "Good morning sir."

Caulifla decided to put her hands together and provide a gentle bow to introduce herself. "Good morning sir. My name's Caulifla."

Rōshi was pleased to see that at least Caulifla had decent manners, and Kuririn was quick to do the same. "Greetings good sir. I am Kuririn, a humble student of the venerable Muten Rōshi." This exaggerated toadying about was more than Rōshi cared to stomach, and the hermit thumped the boy in the same manner as Gokū.

"No one likes a brown-nose, Kuririn," Rōshi scolded, watching Kuririn wince as he held his head.

"Don't be too harsh about their manners, sir," the monk commented, smiling at their shenanigans. "Speaking of whom, how goes their training?"

"Well, they've only just started today, but I can see these three have potential. If they keep up their training diligently, they may be able to enter the tournament 8 months from now."

"You refer to the Tenka'ichi budōkai, eh?" The elder monk questioned, with a pique of interest.

"Wait!" Kuririn spoke up. "The Tenka'ichi budōkai?! The strongest under the heavens?!"

"What's that?" Gokū and Caulifla simultaneously asked, turning to Kuririn with curiosity.

"It's a tournament that gathers the strongest martial artists from around the world to decide who is the strongest under the heavens!" Kuririn answered with beaming excitement in his face and voice.

"Whoa!" Caulifla perked up, hearing of this awesome-sounding competition for the first time. "So, we might enter for a chance to be the strongest?!"

"If you keep up with training without falter, then yes," the hermit answered, seeing the stars in the eyes of all three of his pupils. "However, your goal isn't to aim just for the title. Life isn't that easy. I simply figured if you had the goal of entering in the first place, it would push you to strive harder in training. But before we dwell on such things, we still got deliveries to make!"

The group continued following their delivery route with Rōshi at the lead to hold their pace. As if the delivery route hadn't gotten more arduous, their travels carried them across a shifting desert, a very rapid river, and the territory of several irate dinosaurs. Eventually by the time their deliveries were complete, everyone except the Kame-Sennin was lying on their backs, gasping for air and sweating bullets.

"Eight months… of this?!" Caulifla spoke in between gasps. "I feel like I'm in a furnace!"

"It'll get easier as you keep doing it," Rōshi consoled, seeing his students try and collect themselves. "That's all for the early morning routine. Now for the morning routine!"

"What?!" Gokū shouted, as he tried to push himself up. "What about breakfast?!"

"That will come right after the morning routine," Rōshi answered. "Speaking of which, you will be plowing these fields today."

The hermit then walked over to the old woman who was busy tilling her fields and began speaking. Rōshi then gestured to the trio as he spoke, likely stating that his pupils would be taking over the task of plowing the fields, and the woman took off her gloves, looking visibly glad and proceeded to make her way to a nearby shed.

"That doesn't sound too bad," Gokū sighed, as he got himself to her feet.

"I dunno," Caulifla retorted, worry audible in her voice. "We just had to deliver milk on foot instead of using that one guy's helicopter."

"She… might have a point," Kuririn agreed, still panting from the delivery. "Muten Rōshi might throw us for a loop for this one."

"So, we should be ready for weird things to do?" Gokū summarized.

Muten Rōshi returned to the trio of students. "Alright, you will be plowing these fields, and when you're done, we'll finally have breakfast. So don't dilly-dally!"

"Is there a catch to it?" Caulifla asked, raising her hand.

"Ho ho hoooo! How astute of you!" Rōshi laughed, pleased to see one of his students catch on. "There is indeed a catch! You have to plow these fields bare-handed! This'll help you build strength all over, especially your arms and hands."

Kuririn began to stammer in shock at this revelation, whilst Gokū simply looked at his hands, wondering how much field he could plow this way. Caulifla simply closed her eyes and folded her arms for a second. '_I knew it,'_ she thought, looking for a decent spot to start loosening up the earth, and Gokū and Kuririn quickly followed suit. The trio began digging their own trenches of dirt, parting the softened soil to the side allowing for crops to grow with better ease.

"Remember!" Rōshi shouted, seeing their current pace. "The longer you take, the later you'll get breakfast!"

This immediately spurred the trio into action, tripling their initial speed. The trial was a strain to their skin as the dirt, rocks, and grass roots lightly lacerated into their hands, and the muscles in their fingers were strained as they forcefully dug apart the earth, loosening it up.

Two hours had passed, and the trio were covered in dirt, sweat, and cuts of varying sizes. They were all panting heavily, waiting to catch their breaths before calling Muten Rōshi to check on their work, Caulifla's idea, since she did not know if there were more fields she missed, much to Kuririn's chagrin, and Gokū's annoyed stomach. Eventually, the hermit came over without being called and saw the trio's handiwork and smiled.

"Nice work kiddos!" Rōshi applauded. "You wrapped up half an hour earlier than I would've expected. I suspect that is because there are three of you, so try to finish the fields sooner next time. Now, let's go have breakfast!"

Rōshi had said the magic word that snapped the trio, Gokū and Caulifla especially out of their fatigued state. The two immediately rushed to Kame House to prepare a quick fish fillet buffet, for they were still weary of Lunch preparing the fillets with some other tainted food, such as poisonous mushrooms, or herbs of dangerous plants. Rōshi simply chuckled, glad he was getting a meal prepared for free instead of paying at the local diner.

* * *

The sight within Kame House was one that could easily be described as the stuff of nightmares. Gokū and Caulifla cleaned up the mess in the kitchen that followed preparing their own buffet, but that mess was not the nightmare. The true horror started the moment the two began to dive into their banquet. Table manners were nonexistent from the two as they wolfed down several sauteed slabs of fish at once, almost ignoring the seasonings and marinade they put into it, for their stomachs beckoned them more than their taste buds. By the time they were finished, they were lying back, finally content to have food in their stomachs after such an arduous morning, and left three plates of their home-made buffet for the other three residents of Kame House. Rōshi and Kuririn walked in to see the plates cleared, clean and orderly, whilst Gokū had a toothpick in his mouth, and Caulifla was putting the last of the dirty dishes left from their carnage into the sink.

"Oh hi!" Gokū greeted, noticing the two bald ones in question enter. "We tried to save some for you guys too!"

True to his word, there were three plates of fish fillets on the opposite end of the table, nowhere near as dense as the ones that met their end to Gokū and Caulifla's rampage, but were sufficient for any normal person.

"Did… Did they just not eat much or something?" Kuririn stammered, seeing the disturbingly pristine aftermath.

"I think they sped through breakfast faster than we could register," Rōshi answered, just as dumbstruck as his bald pupil. "They even cleaned up the mess. Was there even a mess?"

"There was," Caulifla answered, now emerging from the kitchen after washing the dishes, also looking far more content now that food was digesting in her belly. "But we cleaned it up as fast as we could. It would've taken longer if I didn't teach Gokū how to cook and clean up."

"She's right!" Gokū confirmed, tossing the toothpick he was using into a nearby garbage bin. "I've never made food that fast or that tasty in my life!"

"You two must've been hungry then," Rōshi commented, finally breaking out of his stupor. The Kame-Sennin tried to think of something for the children to do while he and Kuririn ate, and then it hit him. "How about you two go practice the Kamehameha while Kuririn and I eat? Just don't go overboard with your practice."

"Okay!" the two agreed in unison, running outside to practice Muten Rōshi's patented technique, using the same rock depth test from the evening before. Kuririn, meanwhile, was slightly nonplussed and ate slowly. Rōshi took notice of Kuririn's expression as he ate.

"What's got you down, lad?" the hermit inquired. "You feel like you're lagging behind, don't you?"

"Yeah," Kuririn sullenly answered between bites of food. "I know I should suck it up and try harder, but I can't help but be jealous."

"Jealous that they get along so well?"

"Gokū seems okay, just a little dumb, but Caulifla is just mean," Kuririn answered, taking a big bite of marinated fillet.

"I think she's just mean because you've been trying to act better than them, plus you've been trying too hard to kiss my ass," Rōshi bluntly elaborated. "Like I said earlier, no one likes a brown-nose. Formalities have their place, just don't go overboard."

"R-Right," Kuririn acknowledge, feeling a tad better. "Thank you sir,"

"Also don't drop formalities completely like Gokū did at the top of those stairs, kapeesh?"

"Yes sir!" Kuririn answered, now feeling much better and ready to take on training with more enthusiasm.

* * *

_**After Breakfast, just outside Kame House**_

"Alrighty!" Rōshi shouted, ready to gather his students' attention. "From now until Lunchtime, we're gonna study! Mastering martial arts requires more than training the body, it requires training the mind as well."

Gokū groaned at the idea of reading, whilst Kuririn was prepared for such a task. Caulifla immediately raised her hand, a mild inquisitive pout in her face. "What's the study material we're working with?"

Rōshi, remembering that Caulifla was not as… cultured as he was, began to stammer for a response until the proverbial light bulb went off above his head. "How about you visit the local library for study?"

Caulifla grinned, knowing she had won this battle. "Sure. Can I take Gokū with me?"

"Oh, are you implying what I think-" Kuririn began to speak up, a sly grin on his face, but was immediately cut off by a flying hard-cover copy of 'Bob and Maragret's forbidden games' hitting him in the forehead.

"Kuririn! Save it for the book!" Rōshi scolded, then nodding to Caulifla giving her the okay to bring along Gokū, much to the spiky-haired boy's confusion. "Just be back before noon! That's lunchtime!"

The two then made their way down to the town on the other side of the island. Gokū was tempted to suggest they use Kinto'un to go there, visibly raising his index finger to speak up, but remembered what Muten Rōshi said about allowing others to do training for them, and held his tongue, and put his hand down. Once the two spiky-haired children were half-way between Kame House and the town library, Gokū finally spoke up, in regards to a different matter. "So, why did you want me to tag along?"

"I don't think studying with the two degenerate chrome domes will do us any good," Caulifla answered flatly, folding her arms. "I don't want my friend to end up like that."

"I still don't get what you have against them." Gokū commented, clueless as ever. "Is it because they're bald?"

"No, it's not because they're bald!" Caulifla snapped back. "It's because they're... gross."

"But they shower," Gokū retorted, completely missing what Caulifla meant by the word 'gross.'

"That's not what I meant!" Caulifla shouted and then sighed. "I'll try to explain sometime down the road. For now, we're gonna try to do some actual studying. And before you say anything about Muten Rōshi's brand of studying, this sort will help you better in the long run."

"Okay," Gokū acknowledged, still not looking forward to studying of any kind.

* * *

_**Elche Island, Town Library**_

Gokū and Caulifla approached a very dated-looking building in comparison to every other structure on the island, built with clay bricks and boasting an architectural design that can be found in the western regions of the world. In the tower that made up the front door was a clock, its hands pointing to indicate it was just after 10:00 in the morning, so the two had two hours to study what they could here. Walking into the library, they were greeted by an elderly woman who wore glasses holding lenses that look as if they should have been part of a telescope.

"Good morning children," the woman greeted with a ginger tone in her voice. "I assume you are here to study as part of Muten Rōshi's training?"

"Y-Yes," Caulifla confirmed with surprise. "How did you know?"

"I heard my sister was tilling the fields when the Kame-Sennin offered to have his students take over." The elderly woman clarified, adjusting the massive lenses affixed to her eyes. "You may read as much as you like, so long as you put the books back. And do please keep your voices quiet."

"Thank you!" Caulifla replied quietly and politely bowed. "If it's not too much trouble, could you help us with studies?"

"Certainly," the woman agreed with a smile. "It's the least I can do since you've helped my sister."

The group proceeded to delve into the vast catalog of books of varying subjects, both fiction and non fiction, narrative and expository, all organized by the classic Dewey decimal system. The woman picked out two similar history books, a pair of math books, and a couple on basic science. "Alright," she whispered, hauling the books in her hands. "Let's begin."

Gokū and Caulifla looked at the stack of books in her hands, the former still not looking forward to it, but was willing to give it a shot, and simply nodded.

* * *

_**Outside Kame House**_

Studies with Muten Rōshi had wrapped up, and the hermit was dabbing a napkin over his nose, stained red from his blood. "That was a good read, eh Kuririn?"

Kuririn, while indifferent with the reading provided by Muten Rōshi, was starting to get why Caulifla went to the town library instead. He wasn't a pure soul, but he was not a lech to the same extreme as Muten Rōshi. "If it's no trouble sir," Kuririn spoke up, still red in the face from what he had read. "Could I visit the town library for studies next time?"

"You kids lack a taste for culture!" Rōshi harrumphed. "Sure, I'll allow it."

As if on cue, Gokū and Caulifla came trotting back from their trip to the library, each carrying a book under their arms. As they came up the road, they were locked in idle chatter with each other. Gokū looked mentally drained, while Caulifla was more chipper.

"Oh come on! Math isn't _that_ bad!" Caulifla playfully jabbed at Gokū. "History seems more up your alley anyways. Just gotta learn important stories from forever ago."

"I never thought of it that way," Gokū yawned, yet smiled despite his mental exhaustion. "I thought history was just a bunch of dusty jars."

"So, I take it studying went well without me?" Rōshi inquired.

"Not at first, but I showed Gokū this trick that worked for me, and he picked up on stuff quickly," Caulifla answered, proud of what she had found out.

"I just gotta treat it as a fight!" Gokū grinned, trying to keep his mind awake. "I won't let those mean textbooks mock me for not reading them!"

"Well, looks like you're right on time for lunch then!" Rōshi announced, pleased to see his students' initiative. Immediately Gokū woke up at the prospect of food, and the two ran inside Kame House to run through the same carnage as this morning, but at a more relaxed pace. Kuririn and Rōshi peeked their heads through the door to see the commotion this time, and saw what could only be described as the well-oiled gears of a decent restaurant kitchen running through a mountain of fish fillets, seasoning, marinading, frying, grilling, rolling some of the raw slices into sushi, it was almost majestic to watch, until the table was set, where the horrors of this morning began to unfold with bystanders present to witness the slaughter this time around. By the time the feeding frenzy had died down, the two took their plates and cutlery to the kitchen and washed what could not fit into the dishwasher. Just like this morning, there were plates left for Muten Rōshi, Kuririn, and Lunch, the food on them untouched by the ravenous assault of the two children, ready to be eaten. Rōshi was even more stupefied than he was this morning, and eventually spoke up. "Hey Gokū, where did you learn how to cook like this?"

"Caulifla showed me," Gokū answered with honesty. "Didn't she tell you earlier?"

"My adoptive parents ran a restaurant back home," Caulifla clarified where her teachings came from, whilst also keeping the subject from her incident onward.

"Well, color me impressed!" Rōshi applauded, and then his tone took a more cautious turn. "Is… Is there-"

"There's no fugu," Caulifla interrupted, causing Rōshi to sigh with relief. "Well? What are you two cue balls standing around for?"

The two proceeded to accept Caulifla's invitation and sat at the table, ready to dig into their lunch, now able to appreciate it after taking in what Gokū and Caulifla had been doing during the three days they had been bed-ridden. Kuririn especially enjoyed his plate. "This is pretty good! It's a bit dry though."

"Sorry about that!" Gokū apologized, scratching the back of his head while grinning. "I had some fillets on the grill for a bit too long."

"Maybe _I_ could learn a thing or two!" Rōshi laughed, thoroughly enjoying his lunch. The two little chefs took their respective seats, glad to see everyone was enjoying their handiwork. Muten Rōshi spoke up again. "I thought watching people eat was torture to you guys."

"It's only torture when we have empty stomachs," Caulifla corrected, letting out a small burp and blushing after. "Excuse me."

"You guys were right about visiting the library for studying by the way," Kuririn commented in between bites.

"Seriously! No taste in culture!" Rōshi retorted, resenting Kuririn's remark. He then proceeded to pick some sushi rolls from the pile in the middle of the table.

"I'm guessing Muten Rōshi's 'culture' was more than you asked for?" Caulifla inquired, using air quotes.

"Yeah, but he gave me the go-ahead to use the library instead." Kuririn answered, leaving the hermit to grumble with indignation, but chose not to question their initiative.

"By the way, what's next Muten Rōshi?" Gokū asked the hermit.

"First off, thanks for not calling me 'Grandpa Kame-Sennin,'" Rōshi thanked the boy. "Second, after lunch, we take a nap until 1:30."

"A nap?" Caulifla questioned, now visibly curious.

"Yep! You gotta rest after such rigorous tasks you went through today. Too much training will eventually hurt you more than it will help you. Eat well, train well, study well, and sleep well. That's the way of the Turtle School."

The trio of students collectively sighed, as the fatigue from this morning was starting to set in. A moment's rest would certainly hit the spot. Kuririn stood up, now finished with his food. "I'll go set up hammocks then."

"Want some help?" Gokū offered.

"I got this," Kuririn rejected, giving a thumbs up. "You and Caulifla cooked breakfast and lunch, so let me do something in return."

"And there's some initiative in the lad," Rōshi commented. "By the way, how have you two been doing with practicing the Kamehameha?"

"We've been taking it slow like you suggested," Caulifla answered dutifully. "You were right. It does take a toll on stamina."

"I was able to punch a hole through a rock with it earlier today!" Gokū also answered, but with more excitement that he had pulled such a feat, though his expression receded when his mind began to change course. "Still, I kinda feel bad for Kuririn."

"And why's that, lad?" Rōshi inquired, arching an eyebrow above his shades.

"He's kinda been falling behind us all day."

"Well, it's only your first day. Give him time and he'll catch up. Maybe in your spare time you could show him the Kamehameha yourselves, BUT not before I show a proper demonstration myself."

Just as the Kame-Sennin finished his thought, Kuririn walked inside. "The hammocks are ready!"

The three sitting stood up and walked outside to see four hammocks tied to one tree, the other ends tied to a different respective tree almost as if they pointed to different compass directions. Rōshi walked up to inspect the hammock knots, plucking them, testing their give, and eventually gave a smiling thumbs up before jumping onto the south hammock, and sighing. The trio then took to their own hammocks, Kuririn taking the East one, Caulifla taking the West, and Gokū taking the North. The group then proceeded to nap peacefully until the alarm clock placed nearby rung at 1:30 in the afternoon.

* * *

The pupils of Muten Rōshi stood at attention, well rested after a good nap, ready to see what is next for their training.

"Construction work!" the hermit shouted with glee. "You'll not only break a sweat with this routine, but you'll also earn some money on the side."

"Cool!" Caulifla exclaimed. "I can save up for some extra clothes for training then!"

"And I could buy some ingredients for food!" Gokū announced with glee.

"I'll… have to think about that one," Kuririn intoned, realizing what he would do with such money, beyond saving it for something in the future.

"We can discuss investment strategies another time," Rōshi offered. The master saw his students idle for a full five seconds before shouting "Well, what're you three standing around for then?! Don your hardhats and get to it! You won't be able to enter the Tenka'ichi budōkai if you don't push yourselves!"

The trio complied and began hauling wheelbarrows of concrete and rubble, as well as loosening up earth with shovels to apply foundation. This caught the attention of the presently understaffed workers there, causing them to watch their hard work with awe, before snapping back to reality and resuming their own work as well.

* * *

The trio once again was out of breath, but not as intensely this time. Stood before them was a large lake, small waves glistening in the sun.

"Okie dokie," Rōshi called to attention. "Since you three have worked up quite a sweat today, next up you'll be swimming laps."

"We're not done yet?" Kuririn exclaimed, believing he was on the home stretch.

"Done?! You've barely started, lad!" Rōshi retorted.

"When do we learn some moves?" Gokū inquired, mildly annoyed.

"'Moves?!'" Rōshi spat. "Such insolence! You haven't even the basest foundations of strength and stamina and you have the gall to ask to learn some 'moves?!'"

The hermit walked over to a big boulder, tapping it with his cane for emphasis. "I'll teach you techniques only when you've built up the strength to move this here boulder!"

"B-But no one can move a boulder that big!" Kuririn exclaimed, thinking it was impossible.

"You sure about that, lad?" Rōshi placed his hands onto the boulder, and began pushing it across the ground, leaving a small skid where it moved.

"Whoa!" Gokū exclaimed, now approaching the displaced boulder. "I wanna give it a shot too!"

"Really? At your level you plan to-"

Before Rōshi could finish, Gokū began moving the boulder, and much farther as well, causing Rōshi and Kuririn's respective eyes to bulge out in shock.

"Lemme try!" Caulifla volunteered, now eager to try and push this boulder. To add to the surprise, she moved it almost as far as Gokū did. The Kame-Sennin stood in silence for a moment.

"Whoops!" Rōshi exclaimed, nervously laughing. "Wrong boulder! A-Anyone can move a boulder that big!"

Rōshi then found a much larger boulder, which was more like a small mountain and tapped it with his cane. "_This_ is the boulder you ought to move!"

"Can you move it?!" Kuririn asked, eager to see such a large mass displaced by a man.

"Sure," Rōshi answered calmly, looked at the boulder, a nervous bead of sweat rolling down his bald scalp. "But I have a better demonstration for you later on! Can't waste my stamina on such trifles, plus you still have training today!"

"All you gotta do is swim 10 laps to the far end of this lake and back," Rōshi gestured to the opposite end of the lake.

"Swimming eh?" Caulifla smiled, glad to see a more pleasing challenge. "Sounds good to me."

Much to Caulifla's surprise and mild disgust, Gokū and Kuririn stripped down for the swim. The monk was fortunately wearing boxers, but Gokū was not so decent, causing the girl's face to turn red and turn away. She immediately whispered to Rōshi about getting those two some swim trunks, to which he nodded. Caulifla simply tightened her obi and dove right in, trying to keep distance from the two birthday suit swimmers.

"Oh, before I forget, watch out for the shark!"

As if on cue, a massive dorsal fin crested above the water, barreling towards the swimmers, eight rows of teeth bared, ready to eat, and hastening the pace of the three swimmers.

* * *

"Hoo-kay, next is a test of reflexes," Rōshi explained, seeing his trio of students standing around a tree, their waists tied to it by rope.

"What's the rope for?" Gokū asked, holding his rope up from its slack.

"You are to evade your enemies by the extent of that rope," the hermit answered flatly. "Now let's begin!"

"What enemies?" Caulifla asked, noticing the Kame-Sennin tip-toe around the tree. "Muten Rōshi, what are-"

THWACK!

Immediately, The hermit began running as a hive of angry bees fell from the tree, swarming at the trio with reckless abandon.

"HOLY CRAP! BEES!" Caulifla screamed trying to avoid the bees as best as she could, while Gokū and Kuririn fared just as poorly.

"Look alive you three!" Rōshi called from behind a rock. "If you don't dodge quick enough, you'll only get stung more!"

'_I probably should've asked about allergies first.'_

* * *

The group returned to Kame House, the students coated in bee stings, and the master nonchalantly waiting for his students to fall in line. "Good work today everybody," the hermit announced.

"Muten Rōshi, Sir," Kuririn spoke up, now thoroughly feeling the fatigue of today's exercises. "Is this type of training something we're gonna do every day?"

"Well, not exactly this type," Rōshi clarified. "For the next 8 months until the Tenka'ichi budōkai, you'll be doing the same exercises…"

The Kame-Sennin tossed a clicked capsule to the ground, exploding with a 'POI' revealing a duffel bag. Rōshi opened the bag and rummaged inside.

"Wearing these 20 kilogram shells," the hermit finished, hoisting up a backpack shell from the duffel bag. "They don't call me the Turtle Hermit for nothing!"

Kuririn fell over in an exasperated manner, while Gokū and Caulifla put on their new shells, immediately feeling the weight on their shoulders. The comical monk eventually pulled himself together and put on his respective shell.

"Now, before we turn in, I did say I would make a demonstration," Rōshi announced, taking off his shirt, revealing the absolute lack of meat on his bones. "Son Gokū has already seen this technique once before and is making efforts to perfect it, as is Caulifla. However, Kuririn and Caulifla have not seen the technique demonstrated properly, as I will do so now."

The hermit walked over to the coast of the island, observing the sunset. He began to gather his focus, and almost instantly, his body, which was lacking any muscle, exploded with newfound volume and might. This startled Caulifla and Kuririn, leaving Gokū unfazed, for he had seen this before. Slowly, the now buff hermit outstretched his palms forward and channeled his latent ki into them. "Ka… Me…"

The hermit pulled his hands back and cupped them to his side, eyes fixed upon the horizon.

"Ha… Me…"

A brilliant blue star formed within the master's hands, thrumming with his own ki, until he thrust his palms forward directly towards the ocean.

"HA!"

Unlike the smaller beams produced by Gokū and Caulifla, this one far more powerful, shooting across the ocean, parting the sea with its force alone, revealing the seabed for about a kilometer from the shore, until dissipating, and the Kame-Sennin's muscle mass receded. The tide rushed back to the hermit's feet, and the parted sea flooded back into place. "Still got it!"

Gokū had seen this technique before, but saw how he could improve on what he was doing by seeing a second demonstration. Kuririn was left absolutely speechless, jaw slack, while Caulifla had newfound stars in her eyes, realizing that this was the technique Gokū was trying to show her, and she could do it if she tried hard enough. Rōshi put his shirt back on and turned to face his students. "With proper training, you could harness such power, but do not let it go to your heads. Practicing this technique will be a bonus trial mostly for you, Kuririn, but do not go overboard, as using it too frequently can leave you winded, as Gokū and Caulifla are currently aware."

"I understand, sir!" Kuririn acknowledged, now eager to train hard to master this technique.

"Welp, I'm tired, and I'm sure you kids are as well. Time for dinner and then bed."

"Yoohoo!" a blue-haired Lunch called from the doorstep of Kame House. "Dinner's ready! No sketchy ingredients this time!"

The group outside moved into the house, ready to dine without worry of food poisoning again, and Gokū and Caulifla's noses confirm this. Dinner was going by well, until Lunch accidentally caught a whiff of pepper, and sneezed herself into her blonde state.

"Which one of you twerps was doing the cooking when I wasn't?!" Lunch aggressively inquired, causing Gokū and Caulifla to shakily raise their hands, fearing for their own safety. "Because that food you made was awesome!"

The two sighed, glad that Lunch, even in her blonde state, likes their cooking, and everyone continued to dine until the table was clear. Everyone then proceeded to turn in for the night and went to their usual sleeping arrangements, Gokū and Caulifla outside, Muten Rōshi in his room, Kuririn on a futon in the main room, and Lunch on the sofa. Today's training was a warm-up, and it will only get more intense from here on out.

* * *

Gyūmaō - Ox-King

Tenka'ichi Budōkai - World Martial Arts Tournament

* * *

**A/N:** _HOOOOOOO Boy! (I'm an owl. :P) Long chapter this time around! I tried to keep things fresh, instead of the story listing off the training trials like a shopping list. Roshi is finally done with Kuririn being a total kiss-ass, and Caulifla is helping Goku understand... everything, really. I also figured Kuririn should at least get a handle on the Kamehameha early on if the two monkey children are gonna be practicing it on their own time. Also, Goku learning to be a chef just sounds fun. I just hope I'm not stepping too much into mary sue territory with Caulifla being a good cook, along with Goku actually **LEARNING** and not be a clueless mountain bumpkin for the rest of eternity. Trying to keep things within bounds, so to speak. Hope this chapter was enjoyable! :)_


	5. Chapter 5: Confessions and Clarity

Eight months have passed during the training regimen on Elche Island. During those eight months, Gokū, Caulifla, and Kuririn have kept to their schedule established by Muten Rōshi, as well as squeezing in what extra training they could in their spare time. Kuririn was quickly brought up to speed on the inner workings of the Kamehameha, and Gokū's understanding of basic social skills have increased substantially with Caulifla's aid.

Four months into the regimen, and the three were all capable of moving the boulder Muten Rōshi slated as their landmark to learn new martial arts moves. It was quickly revealed the boulder test was a mere joke, and such moves are merely applicative from the skills learned from these trials, compounded with the increase in strength. For the next four months, they would carry on as usual, but with double the weight added to their turtle shells.

The pupils will awaken to continue their routine, only to learn that today is the day of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai.

* * *

**_Elche Island, Morning of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai_**

Gokū and Caulifla awoke from their dreams and began to dress themselves five minutes before their alarm. Gokū had acquired a light blue gi similar to the one he had from before his adventure searching for the Dragon Balls, while Caulifla had the same style outfit as usual, but the sleeves on her pink undershirt were now shoulder length. After rolling out of bed, ready to tackle their training, they donned their respective 40 kilogram shells, ready to get to work. Kuririn was quick to come out of the house, also donning his 40 kilogram shell, and greet the two.

"Hey guys!" Kuririn cheered, seeing his now best friends bright and early as he is. "Ready to get started?"

"You bet we are!" Gokū answered gleefully, ready to take on the day. "I wonder if we'll get another heavier shell after today?"

"We'll have to see what Muten Rōshi has in mind," Caulifla added, looking around only to see no visible sign of the hermit. "Where is he anyway?"

"We're up early, so maybe we beat his alarm?" Gokū speculated. "We could go and get the milk crates to deliver while he sleeps."

"Sounds good to me," Caulifla agreed.

The trio proceeded to jog to the warehouse where the milk was kept, but as they approached the building, Muten Rōshi was standing before them wearing a clean-cut black suit and hat.

"I had a feeling you kids would be up this early," the well-dressed Kame-Sennin spoke up, seeing his eager students ready to carry out the delivery. "I'm afraid you won't be making deliveries today, and until further notice. Today is the day of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai."

All three gasped, smiling wide. "Really?!" the trio asked simultaneously. Rōshi nodded to confirm, and the three jumped into the air with glee.

"How's about you three try jumping again, but without those hefty shells on your backs?" Rōshi requested. "Let's see how far you've come these past few months."

The three took a second to wonder what the old master had in mind, and then slid the heavy shells of their backs, falling with three resounding thuds into the earth. With this heavy burden off their shoulders, they looked at themselves with awe.

"I feel so light!" Caulifla spoke up, now unhindered by the shell. "Like a cotton ball!"

"Well, what're you three waiting for?" Rōshi demanded.

The three proceeded to jump as high as they could, and to their surprise, they had easily cleared 300 meters with their jump, suspended in the air for a good few seconds, and proceeded to descend back to earth, landing lightly and with grace.

"I felt like I was floating!" Gokū stammered, trying to believe what he had just done.

"That fall should've shattered my legs!" Kuririn exclaimed, inspecting his legs. "It didn't hurt at all!"

"If simply jumping has you amazed at what you can now do, you should see what you can do at the tournament then," Rōshi added, taking note of his pupils' awe at their newfound strength. "I will say again for good measure: Do not allow the prospect of winning cloud your mind. You do not fight to be better than others, you fight to be better than yourselves."

The trio nodded, Gokū especially as he now understood what the Kame-Sennin meant, thanks to his tutor sessions at the town library. This newfound knowledge and mental power caused the young boy to speak up with curiosity, raising his hand. "So, are we leaving soon?"

"Soon indeed, lad," Rōshi answered nodding. "We still have some time before we should catch our flight, so how about breakfast?"

"We'll get right on that!" Caulifla agreed, eager to put her cooking skills to the test once again. She motioned for Gokū and Kuririn - the latter of whom had been helping with the food ordeals of Kame House since day 3 - to follow and get ready to prepare a feast before the tournament. The same chaos ensued as it had always, but since the stockpile of fish fillets ran out after a month, other meats have been acquired since then. This time the meat of choice came from of one of the dinosaurs on the milk route that tried to make Caulifla its next lunch, only for the tables to turn swiftly in the girl's favor.

Breakfast was satisfying for everyone - omitting the spectacle that was the absolute destruction of Gokū and Caulifla's servings - and everyone got dressed in travel clothes per Muten Rōshi's instructions, wearing grey suits and hats, as the trio took a moment to have a good laugh at each other in their outfits. Lunch - in her sweet state - had elected to stay behind and pack up Kame House and set it back up at its original, smaller island.

With their good-byes, the group trekked to the island's local airport with Muten Rōshi planning to purchase 4 tickets to Papaya Island, home of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai.

"Muten Rōshi, could Caulifla and I use Kinto'un to get there?" Gokū asked, wondering why they have to take a plane. "It's probably faster, and we can wait for you and Kuririn to show up."

"Sure, but why?" Rōshi counter-questioned. "It's not like we're in a rush."

"I have a couple ideas, but I'm afraid Caulifla will hit me if I say what they are," Kuririn interjected, despite how moot his statement was, yet grinned regardless.

"I actually wanted to ask her for some advice while we made the trip," Gokū clarified, now understanding and ignoring Kuririn's subtle messages.

Kuririn's grin did not fade. One could even say it grew even more sly, but the monk wisely chose to hold his tongue, for he saw Caulifla's face work with annoyance, staring daggers at him.

"Alright," the Kame-Sennin happily agreed. "That means I'd only have to pay for 2 tickets instead of 4! Just don't let any bugs splat those suits now. The island is a few dozen kilometers to the south of here, and you shouldn't miss it."

"We'll be careful!" Gokū and Caulifla replied simultaneously, each with a small bow. The two hopped aboard Kinto'un and per Gokū's command, the cloud bolted into the air, heading south towards Papaya Island.

"For real though," Kuririn spoke up, once the cloud vanished. "What _do_ you think Gokū plans to ask Caulifla?"

"Beats me," Rōshi shrugged. "Maybe we'll find out once we meet them there."

* * *

**_Open Ocean_**

"WHAT?!" Caulifla screamed, almost jumping off her seat on the somersault cloud. "You agreed to marry this Chi-Chi thinking marriage was food?!"

"I-I didn't know at the time!" Gokū nervously responded, hands raised defensively. "When I learned about it during a tutor session I began to put the pieces together!"

"This has to be _THE_ dumbest thing I've ever heard!" Caulifla palmed her face with disbelief, cheeks turning slightly red. "What's worse is that it totally sounds like you! That's what you brought me along for?! Advice on how to clean up your moronic decision making?!"

"I would've asked Kuririn or Muten Rōshi, but you know how they are!" Gokū added, trying to pick his words carefully for the first time in a long time. "Plus I didn't know a good time to ask!"

"Oooooh wow. Wow oh wow," Caulifla sighed, rubbing her temples with her fingers. "At least tell her it was a mistake on your part. Maybe… Maybe get to know her better before you reconsider."

"I'll give that a shot," Gokū nodded, now feeling bad for dragging Caulifla into his own little problem. "I'm sorry I asked for advice like this."

Caulifla sighed again. "It's fine. I think I'd rather handle this kerfuffle more than watch Muten Rōshi harass the plane's flight attendants."

"Kerfuffle?" Gokū repeated with a questioning tone. "Is that like-"

"If you say 'food' I swear to god…" Caulifla warned, a vein popping in her forehead.

"I was gonna say trainwreck," Gokū finished, causing Caulifla's face to go a shade deeper red.

"Oh. S-Sorry," Caulifla apologized. "But yeah, trainwreck's the right word."

"I didn't think you'd get so angry at this," Gokū added, simultaneously curious and sullen.

"Of course I'm angry! How do you think I feel when I learn my crush agreed to-" Caulifla shouted but cut herself off and immediately held her hands over her mouth when she realized what he had just said, causing her face to turn red as a strawberry.

"What'd you say?" Gokū inquired, surprised at what Caulifla had just said, a mild redness taking over his face as well.

"N-Nothing!" Caulifla hastily answered, now sweating. "I said nothing you idiot! Y-Your hearing's just terrible!"

"You have a crush on… me?" Gokū asked, making sure he was putting the pieces together correctly.

"I didn't say that!" Caulifla snapped back, her sweating increasing exponentially. "I told you your hearing is bad!"

Caulifla pivoted her spot on Kinto'un facing away from Gokū, arms crossed and posture hunched into a pout. Gokū, as clueless as he may have been, was not as oblivious as he was 8 months prior, and recognized that Caulifla was lying and was trying to avoid the subject, but not for the same reasons as the topic of the Oozaru. This was different. Gokū was willing to drop the subject and let it be as he would normally do, but at the same time, he wanted to voice his own opinion on the matter. He had a newfound understanding of relationships thanks to Caulifla's help with studies during training, yet was having a difficult time processing it all, now that it was being put to the test.

"I'll go talk to Chi-Chi after the tournament and try to clear things up," Gokū finally spoke up after several minutes of silence. "I'm sorry I brought this up."

Caulifla was still pouting and did not turn to face Gokū, but sighed before replying. "You don't have to do that for me."

"I still want to clear things up," Gokū continued. "I just hope she'll understand."

"Knowing your luck, she won't take it well," Caulifla guessed, still feeling dejected.

"Won't know until I ask."

The two sat in silence for the rest of their voyage to their destination, which fortunately was not very long, and they arrived within minutes.

* * *

**_Papaya Island_**

The two suit-wearing children walked along the sidewalk, looking for the sign-up booth for the tournament, with Gokū being the more distracted, as he had never been to such an island before.

"I thought it would be busier," Gokū wondered, seeing the city rather empty. "Maybe it's because it's still morning?"

"Guess not everyone's an early riser like us," Caulifla commented, also taking note of the lack of activity. "Might be another hour or two before Muten Rōshi's plane arrives, if I had to guess."

"No harm in signing up early though, right?" Gokū suggested, turning to see Caulifla's mood still sour, who simply nodded in agreement.

The two began their search for the sign-up booth for the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, asking the early morning-goers for directions until after 30 minutes of searching, they came across what looked like the temple where the competition was being held, with several monks out front coordinating the ever-increasing crowd to separate the competitors from the spectators. Eventually the sign-up booth was found, with a slightly sleepy yet cheerful monk setting up the desk, and the two made their way over.

"Good morning," Caulifla greeted, putting on a guise of common politeness for the monk at the booth. "We're here to sign up for the Tenka'ichi Budōkai."

"You two plan to enter?" The monk repeated with surprise, to see two well-dressed children seeking to enter this prestigious competition. "Well, I would sign you two up, but competitors will have to wait until 9:00 A.M. for registrations to open up, and it is currently 7:30. I'm still setting up the registration forms as we speak."

"Thank you for your time," Caulifla bowed with a slight edge in her voice. She proceeded to march away, with Gokū quick to follow. If possible, Caulifla's temper had soured even more, and it showed once they were a fair distance away from the temple. "I take back what I said about putting up with this kerfuffle over Rōshi on an airplane. At least it would've been funny to see him punched."

Gokū began thinking - which is still a new feeling to the boy - about what he could do to make the situation better and not so tense. He could make a quick trip to Mount Frypan before registration opens up and clear things up with Chi-Chi and Gyūmaō, and Kinto'un would be able to get him there within minutes so he could get it done with time to spare, yet Caulifla turned the idea down, and doing so could make her angrier. Another option would be to bring out one of his Hoi Poi capsules which he had purchased during training with his construction work zeni and the two could have some pre-packaged travel food he made for the long run to pass the time, but even their vast appetites had their limits and to eat again so soon after such a hearty breakfast would be overkill. A third option would be to let Caulifla have some space to herself. She likes maintaining personal space, and leaving her alone for a bit would help her calm down. At the same time, Gokū still wanted to clear things up with Chi-Chi for her own sake and not just Caulifla's, so eventually he came to a decision.

"I'm gonna take a trip with Kinto'un for a little," Gokū announced, catching Caulifla's attention.

"Where to?"

"I dunno yet, but I'll be back before registrations open up."

Caulifla's gaze harshened, as she grew suspicious at this sudden decision to 'take a trip' with Kinto'un out of the blue, and without her. Normally Gokū would ask if she wanted to come along, but made no such offer this time. The pieces of this proverbial puzzle began to fall into place in her head, then her gaze softened, and a smile formed across her lips. "Fine, just don't be gone long."

"Alright," Gokū acknowledged, looking towards the sky. "I'll be back soon. Kinto'un!"

Spurred by its master's command, the cloud descended from the sky, eagerly awaiting its master's command, who proceeded to board the marshmallow-like cloud, making sure not to scuff his suit. The boy passed an aside glance to Caulifla, who simply looked away with a newfound pout, and the cloud began to dart towards its master's destination.

When Gokū was out of sight, her pout vanished, and Caulifla began thinking to herself. _'I guess it's not all bad. If it weren't for me, he'd probably be accosted by that girl when he got older. Probably for the best.'_ Caulifla's mind then took a different turn. _'Maybe I can play a little mind game when he gets back.'_ With that thought, a mischievous grin dawned on her face as she planned her little game.

* * *

**_Mount Frypan_**

The tropical valley that was home to Mount Frypan was as lively as it had been before, during, and after Gyūmaō's castle and the mountain it was resting atop of caught aflame. The centerpiece that was Mount Frypan has long since been destroyed when Muten Rōshi used the Kamehameha to extinguish the flames, but accidentally destroyed the mountain and castle in the process. Since then, Gyūmaō has rebuilt his abode with a more modest architecture, building a large cabin that was more equivalent to a mansion with his bare hands - which was an easy feat given his own training was under Muten Rōshi himself - and opted for a more modest lifestyle. Outside this mansion of a cabin, Gyūmaō was doing some light gardening - a sight none could have seen the great and terrible Gyūmaō doing several months prior - until a familiar whirring sound caught his attention. Looking up from watering his petunias, he saw the familiar yellow streak of Kinto'un approach his abode, and waved.

"Hey Gokū!" Gyūmaō jovially called out. "Long time no see kid!"

"Hey Mr. Gyūmaō!" Gokū responded in kind. "How're things going?"

"Pretty good," the Ox king answered. "Why the fancy get-up? Are you here to go on a date with Chi-Chi?"

"Actually I'm wearing this before entering the Tenka'ichi Budōkai," Gokū elaborated. "I just wanted to speak with Chi-Chi to clear things up on something before that."

"The Tenka'ichi Budōkai?!" Gyūmaō shouted with surprise, and then let out a jolly laugh. "You've been training with Muten Rōshi, haven't ya? That sure takes me back."

"You entered the Tenka'ichi Budōkai before?" Gokū questioned, but tried to remain focused on his task at hand. "That's cool! Still, I need to speak with Chi-Chi about marriage."

"Aw, I understand if you've got cold feet lad," Gyūmaō consoled. "But I'm afraid Chi-Chi's not here right now. She wanted me to write down a training regimen similar to Muten Rōshi's and went off. I don't know where she's gone. I can tell her when she gets back though."

"Well, I didn't know what I was agreeing to at the time," Gokū elaborated. "I know what marriage is now, thanks to the studying part of Muten Rōshi's training, but before that, I uh, thought it was food."

Gyūmaō fell backwards with a thud that, if heard correctly, sounded like an intoned timpani drum. After two seconds of silence, the giant Ox king pushed himself to his feet and let out a nervous chuckle. "Oh I'm sorry about that lad! I gotta appreciate your honesty though!"

"Sorry I brought the news like this," Gokū apologized. "I wanted to tell her myself, but if you'll tell her, I'd appreciate it!"

"Sure thing kiddo!" Gyūmaō agreed. "In the meantime, can I get you anything for your troubles?"

"That's okay," Gokū waved off, but then thought back to when Gyūmaō said he had entered the tournament. "Although, could you tell me about your time at the Tenka'ichi Budōkai?"

"Sure!" Gyūmaō eagerly agreed. "Me and your grandpa Gohan made it through the preliminary rounds no problem. We were in the same bracket, but I lost the first round against this guy named Jackie Chun. Gohan made it to the semifinals, but got beat by the same guy, who managed to take home the tournament. He was strong, and what Muten Rōshi said after the matches was something we both held onto. 'there will always be a stronger opponent to test you. Winning a tournament doesn't make you the best and you shouldn't be satisfied with your strength at that level if you win. Always look to push yourself further.'"

"Wow!" Gokū stood there in awe at Gyūmaō's summarized story. "So, regardless if I win, I should keep training to be stronger!"

"That's the gist of it kiddo," Gyūmaō grinned. "Also, say 'hi' to Muten Rōshi for me when you get the chance."

"Will do!" Gokū agreed, as he boarded Kinto'un. "Thanks for the chat Mr. Gyūmaō!"

"Likewise!"

Kinto'un proceeded to zip into the sky for its return trip to Papaya island at the same pace as it had left, allowing Gokū to sit back with a slightly more clear conscience. He couldn't tell Chi-Chi directly, but Gyūmaō had agreed to tell her in his place when she returned. Now the other matter remained: How to tell Caulifla without getting her mad.

* * *

**_Papaya Island_**

Gokū looked around for any clear signs of Caulifla from his magical perch, but could not find her as the crowd in the city below had increased by the time he got back. His attention was pulled away by the call of two familiar voices. Looking in the direction of the noise, Gokū saw Muten Rōshi and Kuririn waving and signalling Gokū to come down. Gokū ushered Kinto'un to follow and the boy jumped off his cloud perch once a suitable altitude was reached.

"Hey guys!" Gokū greeted, only to notice Caulifla was with them as well, just not making her presence known as much as the two bald males. "Was I gone long?"

"You weren't gone long," Caulifla answered flatly while pouting. "These two just got here."

"So, how was your flight?" Gokū asked the two.

"Muten Rōshi tried to get a little too friendly with one of the flight attendants," Kuririn explained, a mild look of distain aimed at the Kame-Sennin. "But besides that, nothing big."

"Damn right nothing big!" Rōshi shouted. "That dress masked the truth and the truth was almost as flat as old soda!"

"So, where were you off to before we showed up, Gokū?" Kuririn asked. "Caulifla said you wanted to take a quick trip before registrations opened up, but you never said where to."

Gokū began to nervously sweat. Explaining to Kuririn and Rōshi was no problem, as they were not involved in his situation, but Caulifla was also present, and her temper was not something he wanted to stir. "I uh, wanted to pay a quick visit to Mr. Gyūmaō," Gokū hesitantly answered, trying to pick his words without outright lying. "By the way, he says 'Hi,' Muten Rōshi."

"Well, that's nice to hear," The Kame-Sennin smiled, pleased to hear his former student doing well. "But why did you want to visit Gyūmaō?"

Noticing Gokū's demeanor shift at the subject, Caulifla decided now to play her little mind game. "Was it to clear things up about something?" Caulifla inquired, drawing out her words but not too much such as to arouse suspicion. "Something about food?"

"Y-Yeah, it was a misunderstanding about food!" Gokū confirmed, still nervous. Did Caulifla catch on to what he was doing? She doesn't seem as angry as before, but still looked upset. Kuririn and Rōshi shrugged, knowing that food was a big topic for the boy, and let it be.

"Well, registrations won't be open for another hour," Rōshi pointed out, looking at his watch. "I'm gonna go grab a coffee in the meantime. We'll meet up in front of the temple before registrations open up at 9:00 A.M. Tournament preliminaries start at 10:00 A.M, so don't be late!"

"With all due respect," Caulifla spoke up, dropping her pout. "Could we change into something a little less formal?"

"Oh but of course!" Rōshi answered, pulling out a suitcase. "I almost forgot your new gis. Fit for students of the Turtle School."

Inside the suitcase were three sets of orange gi, marked with the symbol '亀' on the torso to the left, as well as on the back. One of the sets included a blue short-sleeved undershirt - likely reserved for Caulifla - and respective wristbands and shoes were grouped to the side. The three students took their respective outfits and looked at them with interest. The problem of finding a place to change quickly arose, but was quickly put to rest when some public restrooms were pointed out nearby. One by one, the trio emerged wearing their new uniforms, ready to take on the tournament.

"I like the orange!" Gokū announced with glee, looking at his new outfit.

"Orange and blue isn't really me, but I can roll with it," Caulifla commented.

"I hope I can prove worthy of wearing this," Kuririn muttered, ready for action.

"Alright, I'm gonna go get that coffee," Rōshi announced. Kuririn proceeded to follow, but stopped to reconsider his decision given the Kame-Sennin's notorious behavior, and opted to simply forge his own path, exploring the city in the meantime, leaving Gokū and Caulifla alone once again, before the spiky-haired boy spoke up.

"So, it was that obvious?" Gokū asked turning to Caulifla, causing her to slightly flinch with surprise.

"Yeah. I'm surprised you beat my little mind game," Caulifla answered with a small smile.

"Mind game?" Gokū questioned. He wasn't as clueless as before, but there was still much for him to learn.

"A little game to see if I can get any reactions out of you," Caulifla clarified. "You got nervous, but you managed to answer without lying and without spilling the beans at the same time."

"Oh, I get it," Gokū understood. "So, I'm guessing you're not mad anymore?"

"Nah, I'm fine now," Caulifla waved off. "I guess I needed the space to myself to calm down, plus you did say you wanted to clear it up for your sake as well."

"Well, I tried to, but Chi-Chi wasn't home. Her dad Mr. Gyūmaō said he'd tell her though." Gokū added.

"She wasn't home?" Caulifla inquired, a mild edge returning to her voice.

"Mr. Gyūmaō said she went off to train, but never said where," Gokū elaborated.

"Oh," Caulifla responded flatly. "Well I can't fault you for trying."

"Did you know that he and Grandpa Gohan entered the tournament also?"

"Really?! How far did they get?"

"Mr. Gyūmaō lost in the first round to a guy named Jackie Chun, and Grandpa Gohan lost in the semifinals to the same guy."

"He seems like a strong guy to be able to beat them both."

"Mr. Gyūmaō also said that Muten Rōshi's lesson was to use the tournament as a test of strength, but martial artists should continue to push themselves regardless if they win or lose."

"Sounds like the layman's version of what Muten Rōshi told us before we left. How there will always be stronger opponents we should be ready for."

"I'm up for that. At the very least we could have fun during the tournament."

"Couldn't agree more."

The two proceeded to tour the city as they further pondered the meaning of Muten Rōshi's words, eagerly awaiting registrations to open up at the temple so that they may finally put their 8 months of rigorous training to the test at the 21st Tenka'ichi Budōkai. However, something had been in the back of Gokū's mind since he had woke up. It wasn't weighing heavily on his conscience, but it was a persistent thought that he did not know how to voice, and it was relating to an odd sensation originating at his tailbone.

* * *

Mount Frypan - Fire Mountain

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, this one was a doozy, since I couldn't settle on a direction to take this one, but I got it done. Goku is a bit less clueless since he got good training for his noggin, and feelings have been made known! To any asking "But what about Chi-Chi?" Well, Goku's new brain power factored this in, but I wasn't gonna make it that easy! Also, canon Chi-Chi sucks, that harpy needs to chill the fuq out. On another note, whose to say Gy__ūma__ō and old man Gohan never entered a tournament? It kinda seems like a thing for Muten Roshi to use such a competition to quiz his students' strength. Is the roster for the tournament gonna be different this time around? Yes, because Caulifla is here. Am I omitting any of the original fighters that were in canon? Bacterian. 'Nuff said, I don't want to write for that literal shit stain, so he's out. Spoiler for my plans but whatever. I ain't putting up with that. Stay tuned, and I hope this chapter was a good one. :)_


	6. Chapter 6: Tails of the Tournament

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Preliminary arena**_

The trio of turtle school students were surrounded by a wide variety of competitors. Most looked impressive and strong, while some others looked more speedy to make up for their lanky frames. A select few looked downright pathetic, hoping to get lucky. Gokū and Caulifla were looking around to see what kind of competition they were gonna face, while Kuririn was a tad more apprehensive, thinking he may not be ready and rushed into this. Their trains of thought were broken when an elderly monk cleared his throat into his microphone atop one of the preliminary arena mats.

"Greetings competitors," the old monk spoke with a wispy yet fortified voice. "For five years, many of you have trained for this opportunity to be crowned the strongest under the heavens, coming from all corners of the earth. This year we have 137 masters of combat eager to perform, but only 8 may proceed to the final rounds. This year truly promises to hold a fierce competition."

"I shall now go over the rules before contestants may draw lots for their rounds. All contestants will fight atop these mats one on one for the preliminaries. Should any opponent fall off these mats, plead mercy, or be rendered unconscious, they lose. However, killing is strictly prohibited, as well as the use of external weaponry. The matches will last up to one minute, and if a victor is not determined in that time, our judges will declare a victor."

"Due to the amount of competitors, qualifying rounds will be divided into four blocks, with the two victors of each block moving onto the final rounds. Everyone in an orderly fashion, draw one slip of paper from this box and compare the number on your paper with that on the white board to determine which block you will be in. May the best fighter win."

Everyone proceeded to form a double column line to draw their paper. In time, the trio drew their numbers, with Gokū and Kuririn ending up in block 3 with numbers 70 and 93 respectively, and Caulifla in Block 2 with a number 31.

"Well, I'll be waiting by block 2, guys," Caulifla announced as she marched over to the Block 2 fighting mat. "Hopefully your first match is done before I start."

"Aw man, I don't wanna fight you!" Kuririn shouted nervously.

"You shouldn't have to worry about it Kuririn," Gokū responded. "We're in different branches, so we both have a shot."

"Both have a shot at losing is more like it!"

An unfamiliar voice called out to the two, but the voice was all too familiar to Kuririn. "Who'da thought short-stuff here would be entering the Tenka'ichi Budōkai expecting to win?!" a taller, older monk of the Orin temple laughed, with his heavier friend joining in, mockingly patting Kuririn on his bald scalp.

"I can't wait to see you make him cry like the baby he is!" the larger monk added, causing the lankier monk to laugh.

Kuririn started to feel dejected, but Gokū spoke up, a slightly irritated expression taking over his face. "You might be surprised at what he can do nowadays," Gokū spoke back. "You should see my fight to get a good idea."

"Yeah, whatever," the taller monk waved off, uninterested in watching Gokū's fight. "I hope you're right fern head, 'cause otherwise our little match-up is gonna be a breeze."

As the lanky monk spoke, he held up his paper, reading "94," causing Kuririn to panic, before the two former colleagues walked away laughing.

"Numbers 72 and 73, you're up!" the prompter at the Block 3 mat spoke.

"Well, that's my cue," Gokū stood up, tightening his obi, ready to fight. He clamored onto the mat and stood at one side, the other filled by a large burly man with a blue single-shoulder leotard, with no visible hair on his body apart from his eyebrows and a very thick and well-groomed mustache, curled at the ends.

"Whot ees thees?!" The large man spoke with an accent almost as thick as his mustache. "There is no joy een croshing soch an ant!"

"I've fought bigger anyways," Gokū remarked, taking a fortified stance.

"One minute, go!" the prompter shouted, signalling the two to start.

In an instant, Gokū vanished, causing the large man to quickly look around for his target. Gokū quickly reappeared behind the man's calf and tapped him on the hamstring in an attempt to spook him, but to everyone's surprise, the large man fell forwards and out of the ring, leaving the prompter to announce Gokū as the victor, and onlooking competitors to think the big man was merely clumsy. As Gokū walked off the mat, he looked at his hand with awe, and Kuririn raced over to him.

"What luck!" Kuririn shouted with glee. "Who'da thought you'd get such a clumsy oaf first round?"

"That's not it…" Gokū muttered, still inspecting his hand. "You might want to hold back, unless your opponent is super strong."

"Wha…?"

"He didn't trip. Look at where I tapped his leg!"

Kuririn looked over at the big man, who was struggling to push himself up only to stumble for a bit, saw a very large bruise where his left leg's hamstrings were, and quickly caught on.

"Ooooh, now I get it," Kuririn nodded.

The first matches for all four blocks proceeded swiftly, some matches one legitimately and with honor, others were more sad and pathetic in their displays. Eventually, Kuririn's match came up next, up against his former colleague of the Orin Temple.

"Go get 'em buddy!" Gokū cheered, aiding Kuririn's faltering confidence. The lanky monk looked as smug as he did when he first introduced himself.

"Oh this should be good," The monk muttered, ready to make Kuririn cry like a baby, but the dwarf held steady, assuming a fortified stance similar to Gokū's, and launched towards the taller monk, fist forward, landing square in the lanky monk's abdomen. Too fast for him to react, and too strong to withstand, the taller monk buckled over clutching his stomach with a whimper, leaving the prompter to declare Kuririn as the winner.

"You were right!" Kuririn addressed Gokū with newfound confidence and a massive grin as he left the mat. "I'm now upset I doubted myself!"

"I told you!" Gokū responded with a laugh. "Now, let's go see Caulifla's round."

The two walked over to Block two to see the match-up between Number 31 and 32, but before they could see who was up currently, a bright flash emanated from the Block 2 mat, and a large, repulsive man of foul odor was launched from the mat through the opposite wall and into a vacant wash basin far outside. Caulifla hopped down from her mat, declared the victor, dry-heaving and scrunching her nose as she had to put up with the most repugnant odor on earth.

"I don't care if the Kamehameha tolls my stamina, I am _NOT_ touching that Bacterian guy or whatever he calls himself!" Caulifla strained between dry heaves.

"Good thing I don't have a nose," Kuririn commented after seeing that Bacterian guy go flying through the wall.

"I guess our match-ups might be uneventful," Gokū remarked, seeing how easily Caulifla launched the stinky man out of the arena, much to everyone's relief. "I better get ready for my second round."

True to his suspicions, the remaining match-ups were uneventful, as the trio cleaned up the competition with ease, each earning a place in the final rounds. When the rounds concluded, the finalists were given a 30 minute recess to recover strength for the main event. The Turtle School students were idly chatting about who they might fight in the final rounds when an unfamiliar voice - familiar to Gokū - called from the other end of the mat they were gathered around.

"Hey Gokū!" the voice called out. The trio all turned to see a young man with short black hair, a green and orange gi with a scarf, along with a white headband, approach. "Long time no see, eh?"

"Uh, who are you?" Gokū asked.

"You don't remember who I am?" The man asked back with surprise, but then smirked and took a confident stance. "Not even my... Rōgafūfūken?!"

"Yamcha!" Gokū beamed, now realizing it was Yamcha, but with much shorter hair. "Long time no see!"

"I heard there was this kid cleaning up competition, so I had to be sure," Yamcha elaborated. "So you got into the final rounds also?"

"Yeah! All three of us did! Four if you pulled it off also!" Gokū answered happy to see his old friend. "Sorry I didn't recognize you with the short hair."

"It's fine," Yamcha happily waved it off. "It was Bulma's idea. Apparently long hair is 'last decade' in West City, so, yeah. I gotta admit I'm kinda bummed that I might not win the competition though, since you're entering."

"Well, I won't think any less of you regardless," Gokū consoled.

"Thanks," Yamcha replied, just now noticing Gokū's two friends. "So Gokū, who are these two? Friends of yours?"

"And fellow students!" Kuririn announced with a small hint of pride before bowing. "My name's Kuririn."

"And I'm Caulifla," Caulifla greeted, also bowing. "Nice to meet you."

"Likewise," Yamcha replied, now feeling more sullen about his chances at victory. '_I'd be lucky if I made it to the semifinals with these three.'_ "By the way, Bulma, Oolong and Pu'ar are out by the spectator area if you wanna go say 'hi.'"

"Oolong is here to?" Gokū shouted with glee. "I figured Bulma and Pu'ar would be with you, but I guess he wants to watch too!"

* * *

Gokū immediately began looking for the spectator area where Bulma and the others are residing, with Kuririn and Caulifla following close behind. It took some time to find them amongst the crowd, but Bulma's lavender hair - and her audible thumping of Rōshi's skull - were too distinct for the spiky-haired boy to miss, and he found the group, much to their surprise.

"Hey Bulma!" Gokū shouted, in an effort to get their attention.

"Gokū!" Bulma shouted back, glad to see her friend for the first time in months. "Long time no see squirt! Did you qualify for the final rounds?"

"Yep! All three of us, including Yamcha!" Gokū answered practically bouncing. "This is Kuririn and Caulifla! We were training with Muten Rōshi!"

Kuririn bowed with a simple "Hello" while Caulifla outstretched a hand to Bulma with a "Hi there." causing the lavender-haired girl to reciprocate with a handshake.

"So, how did you guys meet?" Bulma inquired, somewhat curious about their meeting.

"I was seeking out Muten Rōshi for training and showed up shortly after these two cloud lovers arrived." Kuririn answered, grinning and gesturing to the two in question.

"WILL YOU SHUT IT PACHINKO HEAD?!" Caulifla snapped at Kuririn for his choice of words, her face turning red. Kuririn raised his hands defensively while letting out a nervous chuckle and smile.

"Okay, So Kuririn sought out Muten Rōshi like Gokū, but what about you, Caulifla?" Bulma further inquired.

"Well uh, truth be told, um, Gokū brought me along," Caulifla trailed off looking away with decreasing volume.

"She was… looking for answers and found her way to my house before I came home from Pilaf's castle," Gokū elaborated, keeping the sensitive details omitted. "I was able to help her after a uh, rough introduction and brought her along after."

"And he would still be a clueless moron if it weren't for me," Caulifla added, smiling that Gokū was choosing his words wisely for her sake.

"Aw, well you two would make a cute couple," Bulma commented, not knowing she, like Kuririn, stepped into the hot plate.

"W-We're not a couple!" Caulifla shouted, face turning red once again.

"Hey! I said you _would_, not that you _were_!" Bulma retorted, raising her hands up, but grinned in spite of herself.

"Before our recess ends, anyone want lunch?" Gokū asked, pulling out a Hoi Poi capsule. "I brought plenty."

Everyone in the group accepted Gokū's offer, and for the next 20 minutes, the group was introduced to Gokū's culinary handiwork thanks to his newfound cooking skills - as well as the usual decimation that occurs when Gokū and Caulifla eat - and were surprised to see the young monkey boy make such delicious food.

"I still remember when he did nothing more than skewer a coyote and millipede over a campfire," Bulma commented, thoroughly enjoying the grilled dinosaur steak. "This is actually some of the best food I've had in awhile, and I've had some good food."

"It's good to get creative with food ideas," Gokū commented, pleased to see his friends enjoying his handiwork. "Of course I know there are limits."

"At least we can agree Pineapple doesn't go with pizza, right?" Oolong spoke up in between bites of his own steak.

"Thank you!" Caulifla exasperatingly agreed, earning an annoyed look from Gokū. "Gokū likes it, heaven knows why, but I guess to each their own. Still better than vegan pizza."

"Right?!" Gokū agreed. "I'd much prefer a good salad over some fake pizza!"

Gokū and Caulifla proceeded to get into a heated discussion about their disdain for vegan foods and their existence, leaving Bulma and the others, barring Kuririn, dumbfounded and amazed.

"It's like they're made for each other," Bulma quietly commented, still surprised to see Gokū so invested in conversation with someone.

"Well, obviously!" Oolong agreed, but not as subtly. "Have you seen how they wolf down their food?!"

"I hate to interrupt, but isn't your recess almost up?" Pu'ar spoke up, noticing how much time had passed since they sat down for lunch.

"Oh right!" the trio simultaneously replied, now cleaning up their dishware and heading back. "Feel free to have the leftovers!"

"They call this 'leftovers?'" Bulma muttered, seeing an organized pile of food that could easily feed the group for three days straight.

"Hey, where's Muten Rōshi?" Oolong asked, noticing the hermit was missing. "He need to use the bathroom or something?"

* * *

"Alright, all finalists please assemble!" A man with blonde hair, black sunglasses, and a clean-cut suit called out. "We're going to draw lots to determine match-ups and the schedule for each match. Please come forward and draw a slip when I call your name."

"Ahem," an old man with a similar haircut to the blonde man but with a much fuller beard approached, tugging one of the competitors with him by the arm. "I want to fight this young lady here."

'That beard...' Gokū thought, looking at the old man inquisitively. 'Not to mention his scent, his voice...'

'It's gotta be, right?' Caulifla pondered in her head, her thoughts reflecting Gokū's.

"Uh, I can't allow selective matches, sir," the announcer retorted. "Now where was I? Oh yeah. Namu!"

A tall, lanky man with a single shoulder outfit and turban approached, drawing his number, his expression stern yet determined. "Number 6."

"Okay then, match 3," The announcer muttered writing Namu's name under his respective bracket. "Uh, Kaiju Giran?"

"Yo," a large dinosaur-like being with single-digit wings, a single horn atop his snout, and a pointed cranium approached, outstretching his hand to the monk holding the box. "Uh, my hands are a bit big. Could you pick one for me?"

"Uh, sure," the monk hesitantly complied, intimidated by this Kaiju Giran's presence. "Number 7!"

"Caulifla!"

"Right here," The spiky-haired girl approached the box, reaching in and pulling out Number 4, leading the announcer to write her name down in the respective bracket.

"Yamcha!"

"Here," the former desert bandit approached, drawing his number from the box, and much to his misfortune, it was Number 3. "Oh boy. At least it's not with the lady over there."

"Kuririn!"

"Right over here, sir!" Kuririn spoke up making his approach to the box, reaching as far as he could to pull out a number, leaving the monk attendant to ask for help, but Kuririn got his number in the end, and it was Number 1.

"Ran Fuan!"

"Hiya!" the purple-haired woman spoke up, daintily approaching the box, drawing out Number 2. "So I gotta fight this bald kid?"

"Uh, Song Oku?" The announcer struggled to read the name on his clipboard. "Is there a Song Oku anywhere?"

"Do you mean 'Son Gokū?'" Gokū spoke up, seeing the clear error. "Sorry, my handwriting's kinda bad."

"Ah, okay, my bad," The announcer relaxed, adjusting his shades - leaving the boy to wonder why he was trying to read names with sunglasses on indoors - and motioning for the boy to draw his number, which was 8.

"Cool! I get to fight this Kaiju Giran guy!" Gokū announced, pleased to see he gets a tough-looking opponent.

"Jackie Chun!"

"Yup," the old man, now identified as Jackie Chun, stood forward, surprising Gokū, as he had heard of the man from Gyūmaō's stories. Since he was the last called, Jackie Chun was Number 5, to fight against Namu.

"Jackie Chun?!" Gokū exclaimed, now seeing the fabled martial arts master in person, leaving Kuririn and Caulifla mildly confused.

"Alright, that's the schedule," the announcer… announced. "Let me go over the rules just to be clear. Each match-up will be one round with no time limit. Should you land outside the ring or cry 'uncle,' you lose. Also, attacks to the eyes and vulnerables below the belt are prohibited. Now, please proceed to the green room."

As the finalists proceeded, Gokū tugged on Jackie Chun's black sleeve to get his attention. "'Scuse me, Are you the same Jackie Chun that defeated Mr. Gyūmaō and Son Gohan a long time ago?"

"The very same," The old master responded, mildly surprised that Gokū knew who he was. "Why do you ask?"

"I hope to give you a run for your money sir," Gokū exclaimed, a sporting grin dawning on his face. "I also plan to get stronger regardless if I win."

Hearing this cracked a smile on the old man's face, as if pleased to hear these words, before Gokū spoke up again, but with a very quiet whisper. "By the way, change up the cologne next time and I won't recognize you, Muten Rōshi," Gokū grinned.

Jackie Chun subtly flinched at this remark, but kept his cool. "You confuse me for someone else. I am Jackie Chun," the old man retorted, but then leaned in for a whisper. "No one is supposed to know, lad!"

"I bet Caulifla knows also," Gokū whispered back. "But I'll keep things quiet. Try to keep your... quirks around women calm and you'll do fine."

Jackie Chun frowned at the last remark, but nodded. The old man walked onward as Caulifla and Kuririn caught up with Gokū, the former speaking up first. "So you figured it out too?"

Gokū nodded, leaving Kuririn confused. "Figured out what?" the monk asked.

"Oooooh, just what kind of competition we can expect.~" Caulifla cheekily answered, causing Gokū to snicker, leaving the dwarf even more confused.

* * *

The crowd of finalists made their way to the green room as the announcer stepped out onto the marble arena surrounded by the crowd, microphone in hand, ready to begin.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience!" the announcer shouted into his microphone with vigor. "Our first round with Contestants Kuririn and Ran Fuan will begin momentarily! Let's see who shall win the 500,000 Zeni and take home the title of strongest under the heavens! Before we begin, let's have a word from the head monk of the temple! Sir, if you would please."

Responding to the announcer, an elderly dog man - likely of St. Bernard heritage - stepped forward, grabbing the microphone from the announcer, with a tired look in his eyes. He then simply 'Woof' into the microphone and then handed it back to the announcer, walking back inside.

"Thank you very much sir!" The announcer spoke with glee, as some of the crowd fell backwards at the absurdity of what just happened. "Now without further ado, could both contestants please come forward?"

The crowd cheered as Ran Fuan stepped forward - now wearing a new layer of makeup - enjoying hearing the cheers and waving at the crowd, while Kuririn was all sorts of nervous, not just for this round, but the next. Cheers for Kuririn came from Bulma's group as well as Gokū and Caulifla from the green room, helping the monk's confidence a tad.

"Our little contestant here, Kuririn is the youngest to enter the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, at the ripe age of 13! If the mark on his gi is anything to go by, he is either a big fan of Muten Rōshi, or quite possibly a student! As for his opponent Ran Fuan, she is a virtual unknown, but looks eager to take home the gold! As a reminder to both contestants, should you fall outside the ring, plead mercy, or end up knocked down for more than 10 seconds, you lose! Without further ado, Round 1 shall begin!"

A monk nearby swung a muted mallet at a gong to signal the start of the match. Kuririn immediately took a fortified stance, waiting to see what Ran Fuan would try first. She took the cue and began charging forward, launching her fists at the bald dwarf, but missing completely, much to the woman's frustration and the monk's surprise at his own abilities.

"Hold! Still! You! Little!" Ran Fuan shouted, punctuated by her empty punches. Kuririn saw that evading her attacks would be easy, so elected to go on the offensive, throwing a held back punch to Ran Fuan's stomach, causing the woman to buckle as she tried to catch her breath, until she started crying.

"This is quite a turn of events!" the announcer shouted. "One punch to the stomach and Ran Fuan is crying!"

"Oh, Sorry miss! I didn't mean to!" Kuririn immediately apologized, dropping his guard. Seeing this golden opportunity, Ran Fuan leaped forward with a kick aimed squarely at Kuririn's 6 marks on his forehead, only to quickly block the incoming attack, not giving any ground in the process. "Oh, so we're playing mind games? How about I do this?"

Kuririn launched off the marble tile, charging at Ran Fuan who was freaked out by the dwarf's speed and braced herself for a punch, but none came. Instead, two small arms wrapped around her waist and hoisted her up like a forklift, prompting her to struggle to break free but to no avail. Kuririn then casually walked over to the edge of the arena, whistling a tune, and tossed Ran Fuan onto the grass.

"Unbelievable! In record time, Kuririn has tossed his opponent Ran Fuan out of bounds!" the announcer exclaimed. "Kuririn is the winner!"

The crowd cheered, as Kuririn sheepishly scratched the back of his scalp, taking a bow to his downed opponent and walking back to the green room

"Nice one Kuririn!" Gokū greeted the monk, glad to see he won so easily. "You didn't even break a sweat!"

"Thanks man!" Kuririn responded with a grin. "I will say I'm uneasy about my next fight though."

"Well, it's my turn," Caulifla stood up, tightening her blue obi. "Wish me luck!"

"May the best fighter win," an approaching Yamcha spoke, before leaning towards Gokū to whisper. "How strong is she compared to you?"

"About as strong as I am," Gokū whispered back, causing Yamcha's expression to frown a bit.

"What an excellent first round folks!" the announcer called into his microphone. "We will now proceed with the second round with contestant Yamcha versus contestant Caulifla!"

The crowd cheered as the two competitors stepped out of the green room, a mixture of comments about the upcoming fight, but the loudest cheering came from Bulma in favor of Yamcha "Knock her dead, babe!" she shouted, much to Pu'ar's shared sentiment and Oolong's annoyance.

"Contestant Yamcha is a resident of West City with quite a background in martial arts, while contestant Caulifla is a virtual unknown, but it looks as if her gi matches up with that of Kuririn from the first round, so she may have studied with Muten Rōshi as well! Without further ado, Round 2 shall begin!"

The gong rang as the two took their respective stances, a moment of calm before the two would begin, each waiting for the other to move first. Yamcha was tense, but Caulifla was relaxed. Seconds passed and no movement. Caulifla swiveled her outstretched wrist into a beckoning motion to make Yamcha take the first move. The former bandit complied and launched forward from his place on the marble title, launching a quick volley of jabs at Caulifla's short frame, each missing their mark, and causing her to jump up into the air over Yamcha's head when he tried to do a sweep kick at her legs. Right before Caulifla landed, she let loose a kick of her own at Yamcha's back, causing the man to stumble forward.

"Jeez!" Yamcha groaned, holding his back as he turned to his opponent. "Nimble little runt, aren't ya?"

"If you have an ace up your sleeve, now's the time," Caulifla said, taking the same stance once more.

"Fine, but you asked for it," Yamcha declared, taking a stance Gokū and his friends remember very well. "Rōgafūfūken!"

Taking the visage of a wolf, Yamcha curled his fingers in a claw formation, before thrusting both hands forward to release a gust of wind directly at Caulifla. Seeing this attack coming, she jumped up into the air again to avoid the gust, only to have Yamcha jump up above her to try and send her back down with a double axe handle, only to be stopped by a swift kick to the face by the smaller opponent. The two landed, Yamcha's frustration mounting, while Caulifla looked bored.

"Neat move using wind pressure to throw me off," Caulifla commented. "But it's not a real kiai, now is it?"

"Kiai? What are you-" Before Yamcha could finish his question, Caulifla forced both of her palms forward, and with a mighty shout, an even more powerful gust of wind than the one Yamcha created emanated from her being, and sent the bandit flying into the wall past the bounds of the arena.

"Sorry!" Caulifla shouted, surprised at her own handiwork. "Should've dialed that one back a bit."

"Unbelievable!" the announcer shouted with glee. "Contestant Yamcha displayed a truly unique technique only to be countered by an even stronger equivalent by contestant Caulifla! And seeing as Yamcha has landed out of bounds, Caulifla is the winner!"

Caulifla bowed politely as Yamcha pulled himself out of the rubble of the wall, now feeling bad that he had lost so easily, and to a little girl, no less. Caulifla approached the bandit, holding out a hand to help him up. "Good fight, Yamcha," Caulifla commented. "No hard feelings I hope."

"None at all," Yamcha replied, taking her hand and being easily hoisted out of the rubble, stood at his full height, expression still sullen. "Guess I still got a lot to learn, eh?"

"Guess so," Caulifla answered. She returned to the green room while Yamcha simply left the arena ground to join Bulma, who was upset Yamcha lost, but took it in stride, making the ex-bandit feel better.

"I didn't know you could do that!" Kuririn exclaimed as Caulifla entered the green room, more from apprehension of his now confirmed fight with her in the semifinals than admiration.

"Oh come on!" Caulifla retorted, annoyed at Kuririn's words. "We all figured it out before our training shells doubled!"

"Yeah, but I didn-"

"Seriously, stop doubting yourself Kuririn," Gokū interrupted. "It's best to take it as it comes. You took out that bully from your temple easily, so try and relax."

"Okay," Kuririn nodded, trying to regain his composure. "I'm just nervous is all."

"Give it your all. It's all a learning experience, like Muten Rōshi said."

"Will Round 3 contestants please step forward?" The blonde announcer called out from the arena. Immediately, the man known as Namu stood up, closely followed by Jackie Chun, the former more stony and focused than the other. The two stepped into the arena to be greeted by cheers from the audience.

"Jackie Chun is a returning favorite from the 16th Tenka'ichi Budōkai, easily besting the competition laid out before him and taking home the gold that year! Namu, on the other hand, is a virtual unknown, but looks determined to win as well!"

"Do not hold this fight against me with prejudice," Namu spoke up, a grave tone in his voice. "I do this for my village."

"I may be able to aid you regardless," Chun responded, taking a stance. "I understand your plight, but we shall go through this matter first."

"I will hold you to that sir," Namu finished, taken aback at what Jackie Chun was saying, but took a stance of his own. "But my priorities remain steadfast."

"What do you think they're talking about?" Kuririn muttered, watching from the green room.

"Probably some form of reparation if Namu loses," Caulifla added, overhearing their conversation with ease.

"Yeah, Namu seems to be here less for a good fight and more for a cause," Gokū observed, his social understanding coming into play. "I think M-… Jackie Chun is playing things out and will help him out after the round."

"Your guys' hearing is so good it's spooky," Kuririn commented, now growing self-conscious if he was muttering in his sleep that Gokū and Caulifla could hear it, even from outside, but put such worries down as he realized Muten Rōshi's sleep speak would make his seem tame in comparison.

"Round 3, Begin!"

The gong rang, and Namu launched forward with a volley of precision strikes, but not precise enough to hit home. Jackie Chun was avoiding these attacks effortlessly, until he raised his left hand and caught one of Namu's punches.

"A fierce combatant with fire in his belly," the elder martial artist commented. "However you have much to learn."

"I do not claim to be the best, but I will make any efforts to make it so!" Namu shouted, squatting and then springing himself upwards with a massive jump, easily piercing through the low-hanging clouds, and almost hitting a gull. "I will make this quick, sir!"

Jackie Chun craned his neck upwards to see the massive leap Namu has taken, leaving the crowd to gasp in amazement.

"Amazing! Namu has jumped so high up that I can barely see him!" The announcer called out, also craning his neck skywards. "This is going to be murder for everyone's necks here, mine included!"

'_Forgive me for what I must do, sir, but I must win that zeni to purchase the water my village needs!'_ Namu apologized mentally, before pivoting his body downwards, holding his arms in an X formation in front of him, and plummeting down to earth.

"**TENKŪJIKEN!"**

As if spurred by Namu's words, his descent increased past terminal velocity, while Jackie Chun stood still, not taking a stance or raising his guard. Namu looked ahead with surprise, not seeing the old man make any motions to avoid his strike. Right before the attack could strike home, Jackie Chun - faster than anyone could see - redirected Namu's descent away from the arena and into the grassy turf on the outside.

"Amazing!" the announcer cried out in his microphone. "With a swift movement, Jackie Chun has sent his opponent Namu outside the ring! Jackie Chun is the winner!"

The old master held up a victory sign, as Namu shakily pulled himself up from the earth, looking sullen, but took it in stride. He approached Jackie Chun and outstretched his hand. "Congratulations sir," Namu spoke with a small smile, yet still sullen. "I hope you will perform well in the next round."

"Of course, but I did say I was gonna help you," Jackie Chun responded, a smile bending his beard and mustache. He reached into his pocket pulling out a capsule. "Here. It's empty, so you can get the water you need."

"I-I appreciate the gesture, but-"

"You're not in the desert right now, son," Jackie Chun cut off. "Water is not an issue, and you can fill that capsule using that well over there. Free to use."

"R-Really?!" Namu stammered, barely able to comprehend the possibility. "I-I had no idea! Thank you sir! I don't know how I could repay you!"

"Think nothing of it," Chun waved it off. "Best of luck to you, lad."

Namu graciously bowed, and proceeded to the nearest well to fill his new capsule. The audience broke into applause at this sign of good sportsmanship and generosity. The old master proceeded back into the green room, and Gokū stood up ready to go.

"Alright, my turn!" Gokū exclaimed with excitement. He didn't voice it, but the sensation in his tailbone grew more agitated since this morning, and was clouding his focus.

"Round 4 contestants please come forward!" the announcer called.

Immediately before Gokū could walk out, Giran rudely shoved him away, eager to step into the ring, mildly annoying the boy.

"Howdy!" Giran roared with gusto, as he entered the arena, with Gokū following close behind.

"Our contestants this time around are virtual unknowns the both of them, but the smaller one, Son Gokū, seems to be wearing the same Turtle School gi as Kuririn and Caulifla! It's almost as if Muten Rōshi is trying to win this tournament through numbers folks!"

"This little shrimp is about to get a lot smaller!" Giran boasted, while Gokū did some basic leg stretches.

"Ooooh boy, Gokū might be in for a long haul here," Oolong commented, seeing this Giran enter the ring.

"I dunno," Bulma questioned. "I've seen him take down much bigger."

"Round 4, Begin!"

"Hey kid, check this out!" Giran called out to Gokū, holding out his hand.

"What am I looking at?" Gokū questioned, getting closer for a look.

"This here," Giran held out his hand, nothing in it.

"You have got to be kidding me…" Caulifla groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose that Gokū would fall for the oldest trick in the book.

"I don't see any-"

Before Gokū could finish, Giran swung his massive tail towards Gokū, hitting him across the arena and into the decorative wall connected to it before slumping down.

"Ha! Too easy!" Giran boasted, thinking he had won.

"Unbelievable!" the announcer cried with a gasp. "In one hit Son Gokū has been-"

"Hit by a cheap shot!" Gokū interrupted, leaping to his feet, unfazed, leaving Giran slack jawed that this kid took that hit without flinching.

"What is this twerp?!" Giran questioned, now sweating. He wasn't going to get the answer to his question, but he quickly received a heavy kick to the stomach from a comparatively small foot, winding him as spittle flowed from his jaws as he clutched where he was kicked. Gokū leapt over the monster and grabbed his tail, and heaved Giran over his shoulders and into the air, far away from the arena bounds.

"What a feat of strength!" The announcer commented as the crowd cheered. "Despite Son Gokū's small stature, he was able to throw Kaiju Giran into the air and past the arena bounds! This looks like its… Hold up!"

The announcer cut himself off when he saw that Giran began flapping his wings to change his airborne vector back to the arena, landing back onto the tiled surface with an audible thud.

"Nice try pipsqueak!" Giran retorted with a grin. "Ring-outs ain't happening while I'm in the game!"

"Must have strong wings to lift yourself like that," Gokū jeered, regarding Giran's fat appearance, with no effect. "Alright, I'll make you cry 'Uncle' instead!"

"Right back at ya!" Giran roared back, before opening his maw and a pink gum slinked out of his throat, coiling around a surprised Gokū. "Good luck trying to break out of that! It'll only get stucker the more you fight it!"

"Kaiju Giran has immobilized Son Gokū with some sort of gum!" The announcer cried out. "It looks like a bodily function, so we cannot fault him for this maneuver!"

"Damn right it's a bodily function!" Giran confirmed with a grin and thumbs up. "It makes catching dinner easier, but I know the rules!"

Gokū struggled to break free of the gum. It was giving way a small bit, but he lacked the strength to break it apart. While he was distracted by his newfound prison, a large lizard-like fist belonging to Giran punched the boy across the arena, irritating Gokū more than injuring him. Before Giran could land another punch at the gum-bound boy, Gokū jumped with what mobility he had in his feet, avoiding the fist.

"Would you look at that folks!" the announcer shouted. "Despite being immobilized by Kaiju Giran's gum, Son Gokū still has enough mobility to jump out of the way!"

"Not for long!" Giran roared, his frustration at this gnat of an opponent increasing. "You can't run forever twinkle toes!"

Sure enough, Giran's flight by wings made jumping to escape out of the question, and Gokū was weighing his options. He could do an outward kiai if his muscles cannot break the gum, but that might cost him valuable ki reserves. His train of thought was interrupted when the sensation in his tailbone began to flare up, causing him to lose focus with his jumps and Giran caught the boy by the legs.

"Nice try, kid." Giran growled mischievously. "See ya next week!"

Giran pulled his quarry back, ready to throw him out of the arena, earning a collective gasp from Gokū's colleagues of the Turtle School, the audience, and the announcer. Giran threw his hand forward, but there was no gum-entangled Gokū in his hand, nor was he over the horizon where he aimed. Where did he go?! The answer was wrapped around Giran's wrist, a brown furry tail connected to Gokū's backside, leaving everyone surprised, Gokū's friends mildly worried, and Caulifla and Gokū himself especially, exceptionally surprised and terrified.

"My tail grew back?!"

* * *

Ran Fuan - Ranfan

Namu - Nam

Rōgafūfūken - Wolf Fang Fist

Tenkūjiken - Cross Arm Dive

* * *

**A/N: **_Hooookay, this was an interesting one. I will admit I had the quarter finals fly by quick, but that's so we can trim the fat from the competition, (Sorry Yamcha) and savor the semifinals and grand finals for what they are. I also included Bacterian being outed during the preliminaries because yeah. This meant Kuririn got to dispose of Ran Fuan before she could go thot mode. And yes, Gokū likes pineapple pizza. I'm no fan of it myself, but I thought it'd be fun to include for the lulz. (Thanks TFS) And yes, the beans were spilled once again, this time on the identity of Jackie Chun, but only two are clued in on the secret! Hope this chapter was a fun read. :)_


	7. Chapter 7: The Semi-finals

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai Arena, Round 4**_

Everyone spectating the battle - the announcer included - was lost for words when they saw that the competitor Son Gokū had grown a monkey-like tail out of nowhere. Some thought it was very weird, others thought the kid was pulling some weird trick. The spectators that were more afraid than anything were Bulma, the defeated quarter-finalist Yamcha, and the shape-shifting duo Oolong and Pu'ar. Even Kaiju Giran was shocked enough at this revelation that he tried to shake off the new appendage wrapped around his wrist.

"Get it off get it off get it off!" Giran shouted, no longer sounding imposing, but more like a panicking cartoon elephant who had just seen a mouse. Gokū immediately released his grasp from Giran's wrist and landed on his feet, expression still shocked from this development, but quickly pulled himself together.

"Alright, enough of this!" Gokū strained, as he flexed as hard as he could to break the gum apart, and to his surprise, it was far easier now, as he was able to blast the gum apart with newfound strength. "I want to end this round quickly!"

"I give! Please don't hurt me!" Giran quickly threw up his right hand, while waving a tiny white flag in the other, begging the question where he got it from. The beast was sweating bullets at how what he thought was going to be an easy victory, turned into one that was far more than he could stomach, and elected to bail before he got seriously hurt He also had an absurd phobia of monkeys, and this new development of a monkey tail on this boy was NOT something he wanted to deal with, and flew away after forfeiting the match.

"R-Right! Contestant Kaiju Giran loses by forfeit!" the announcer collected himself to spectate this new development. "Son Gokū is the winner!"

The crowd, despite the development of Gokū's regrown appendage, cheered for the boy, and the announcer stepped forward, but not before Kuririn and Caulifla rushed out of the green room to greet their friend.

"How come you never mentioned the tail, man?" Kuririn questioned, both curious and weirded out by Gokū.

"Please tell me you know when the next full moon is!" Caulifla demanded grabbing Gokū by the shoulders, visibly shaking at this development.

"I was gonna ask you the same thing," Gokū answered, now feeling much more nervous that his tail is back, along with the curse of the full moon.

"Full moon?" Kuririn inquired, oblivious to the reality involving Gokū's tail.

"I, uh, his, his tail gives him allergies!" Caulifla hastily answered, sweating nervously. "Y-Yeah that's it! And it gets REALLY nasty when moonlight is around!"

Gokū swiftly played along and nodded vigorously while displaying a nervous grin. "Uh, okay?" Kuririn conceded, not buying the story. "Well, it's barely the afternoon, so you shouldn't have to worry about hives or sneezing even if it's a full moon tonight."

Gokū and Caulifla simultaneously sighed, but the announcer stepped forward, eager to interview the trio.

"Congratulations for making it into the semifinals!" The announcer addressed the three. "Kuririn said he was 13, but what about you two?"

"I'm 12," Gokū answered, causing Kuririn to double-take.

"You said you were 14 before!" Kuririn shouted.

"That was before I learned basic math!" Gokū retorted, defensively holding up his hands.

"I knew it!" Bulma shouted from the spectator area. "Of course he wasn't 14! He clearly didn't know what he was missing out on when he met me!"

"Why're you making a big deal about it?" Yamcha asked, only to get smacked by Bulma.

"I'm 12 also," Caulifla added, wanting the conversation to move on from this subject.

"O-Okay!" The announcer rolled along. "By the way Son Gokū, is that tail… It isn't real, is it?"

"Yeah, it's real," Gokū answered flatly, dropping his gi pants just enough to show where his tail connected, much to Caulifla's relief that he wasn't going to moon anyone - pun not intended. "I didn't know it would grow back after it was cut off though."

The announcer and Kuririn shrugged at this answer, but Caulifla's mind was working at a million miles a minute with this information. Could her tail grow back as well? Hers was cut off shortly after Gokū's, so that would mean that maybe in a few days, her tail would return, and she would once again fear the full moon, lest she become a monster once again and her past repead itself. Even if she were to get it removed again, it would likely still grow back.

"So, why was it cut off?" The announcer inquired, causing Gokū to seize up. It wasn't something he wanted to discuss, given his revelation 8 months prior, and knew his friends were involved.

"I… don't want to talk about it," Gokū hesitantly answered.

"Uh, okay. That's fine," the announcer relented. "So, I noticed you three are wearing the same uniform. Is your dojo a fan of Muten Rōshi?"

"Well, we weren't trained at a dojo exactly," Kuririn answered. "We were trained by Muten Rōshi himself."

"Muten Rōshi?! The legendary Kame-Sennin?! FOR REAL?!" The announcer shouted, hardly believing what he was hearing. "The master known as 'the god of martial arts,' THAT Muten Rōshi?!"

"Yeah," Gokū answered flatly. "He doesn't take students these days, but he made an exception for us."

"Unbelievable!" the announcer shouted with glee. "I thought you were just fans of his work Who would've thought these three youngsters had training under the great Kame-Sennin himself! Their strength makes sense when you consider it! The last students of his to enter were Son Gohan and Gyūmaō! Eh, wait… Son, Son Gohan, Son Gok- YOU'RE SON GOHAN'S KID?!"

"Uh, Grandkid," Gokū clarified. "Adopted grandkid specifically."

"If it's all the same to you, can we stop this interview?" Caulifla asked, less focused on answering the announcer's questions and more about Gokū's regrown tail. "We're really not in the mood for questions, but maybe after the tournament we can answer."

"Oh! O-Of course!" The announcer relented. "We shall take a 20 minute recess before the semi-finals everyone! That should be more than enough time for you to take care of your needs!"

The crowd of spectators began to stir as several people went to go refill their snacks, use the restroom, and place bets amongst other things. The trio proceeded back to the green room, Kuririn relieved he doesn't have to answer the announcer's questions further, but Gokū and Caulifla were worried about the former's tail and whether or not a full moon was tonight or not.

"I should've brought up that weird feeling in my tailbone sooner," Gokū thought aloud, feeling sullen at the fact that he kept such information quiet. "If I had known my tail could grow back, I would've said something!"

Caulifla was now starting to be affected by Gokū's bad mood, and fear was compounded with concern. What Gokū just said sounded weirdly familiar, and had to speak up. "When did this sensation start?"

"Huh? A couple days ago." Gokū answered. "I thought I just bumped against my shell weird and it was a bruise, but it kept feeling weird more and more until, well, this. Why do you ask?"

"Because I've started to get the same feeling since after my fight with Yamcha," Caulifla answered in a grave tone. "Even after I had my damned tail removed, it's just gonna grow back!"

"You had a tail also?" Kuririn asked, snapping Caulifla out of her reverie. "Also, why are you two freaking out about some allergies?"

Caulifla looked nervous, as the cat was out of the bag this time. Fortunately there was no one else around besides Gokū or Jackie Chun, and she knew who he was. She sighed and prepared to explain. "Under a full moon, Gokū and I turn into Oozaru." Caulifla explained with trepidation. "Only when we have our tails though. When I explained to Gokū before showing up at Muten Rōshi's, he figured out that the tail is why we transform, and got rid of it for me."

"So, you're like a werewolf?" Kuririn asked.

"This is worse," Gokū clarified, his tone also grave. "We grow enormous and lose control. Yamcha, Bulma, Oolong and Pu'ar all saw it and probably realized my tail was my weak spot and cut it off."

"Only for it to grow back again," Caulifla added, tears welling in her eyes. "I thought I was done with being a monster!"

"Your tail didn't grow back," Gokū retorted.

"_Yet!_" Caulifla shouted back, tears now rolling down her face. "My tail didn't grow back _yet!_ If what you said is anything to go by, my tail would be back in a few days, and I'd be back at square one!"

Caulifla held her face in her hands, while Gokū's mind began to work. If their tails would just keep growing back, what options were there? Keep cutting their tails off forever, or live with their tails and fear the full moon forever? Even with both options, there was still the very real possibility that either of them would look at a full moon and lose control once again, likely killing someone in the process. There seemed to be no hope for their situation. And then it hit him.

"Shenlong!"

"Wha?" Caulifla looked up, still sniffling. "Shenlong? What's that?"

"Not what, _who!_" Gokū clarified, his epiphany forging a grin on his face. "He's the dragon god that can be summoned if we gather all 7 dragon balls, and he can grant any wish! I told you this story on the way to Muten Rōshi's the first time, remember?"

"Oh right. You think that'll work?" Caulifla inquired, unsure about the idea, and was even less certain about the existence of a magical wish-granting dragon, despite Gokū claiming to have witnessed the event himself.

"It's worth a shot, right?" Gokū answered, giving a gleeful thumbs up. "I was planning on searching for Sushinchū after the tournament anyways, but if it'll help us with this problem, I'll gather all seven!"

"I dunno," Caulifla muttered. "I'm worried this 'Shenlong' will pull a fast one like a genie would. 'Make it so our tails don't grow back!' Next thing you know we got this crazed guy with a machete - or Lunch with a machete - hovering over us waiting for our tails to grow back just to chop them off."

"I don't think Shenlong is the sort to do that," Gokū retorted, adopting a blank expression.

"Well _excuse me_ for sounding skeptical about a magical wish-granting dragon!" Caulifla snapped, her words oozing sarcastic energy.

"Do you have any better ideas?" Gokū asked, a serious look plastered on his face.

Caulifla raised a finger and opened her mouth to speak, only to realize she had nothing of substance to offer, and relented from the argument. "I still don't think it's a good idea." she muttered.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your patience, and I hope everyone is ready for the semifinals!" the announcer boomed into his microphone, earning a cacophony of excited cheers from the spectators. "Will our contestants please step forward?"

Caulifla and Kuririn both stepped from the green room, both steeling themselves for the battle ahead. They took to opposite sides of the ring, and gave a formal bow to each other before assuming their stances.

"The first round of the semi-finals shall now commence!"

Taiko drums began to thunder in the background, steadily increasing in tempo, as the two child warriors stared each other down, ready to give it their all. When the drums reached a trill, the gong rang and the two sprung towards each other. Kuririn launched with a fist outstretched aiming for Caulifla's forehead, but the girl leaned back to avoid the dwarf's punch, skidding on her shins and launching a punch of her own into her opponent's gut, winding the monk. Kuririn let loose a flurry of punches towards Caulifla, most of which she blocked and parried, missing only a few and feeling the pain of each impact. Believing he had Caulifla on the ropes, Kuririn pulled his right hand back, and thrust it forward with a shout, releasing a kiai, but Caulifla expected this and vaulted to the right, avoiding the massive gust.

"Amazing!" the announcer crowed. "Kuririn has demonstrated the exact same wind technique Caulifla has done during her fight with Yamcha!"

Kuririn looked towards where Caulifla had vaulted, only to see she was not there. He looked around for signs of the spiky-haired girl trying to sneak up on him, only to have a sledgehammer rain down atop his 6 marks and daze him. Caulifla grinned that her little diversion worked, and settled into her stance once more, waiting for Kuririn to do the same, who was far more annoyed than anything else.

"How'd you get above me?!" Kuririn demanded an answer. "I saw you jump to the right and then you vanished!"

"It's called jumping _twice_, cue ball!" Caulifla jeered with a grin. "I knew you were gonna pull something after that kiai, but I had a better idea."

The battle resumed as the two launched forward, Kuririn's stamina flagging far more against Caulifla's onslaught. She kept playing the defensive role, deflecting Kuririn's attacks until she saw the perfect opportunity to turn the tables. One of Kuririn's punches missed its mark, and Caulifla batted the rogue fist away, dropping down and sweeping the monk's legs, causing the monk to fall to his back, only for his back to be met by a foot going up, sending the rest of him upwards.

Caulifla stood up relaxed, looking at her wrist - despite not having a watch - and took a quick step to the left. Coming down from the skies like a meteor, Kuririn had both of his fists outstretched eager to hit Caulifla, but was surprised when she stepped aside, and quickly rebounded to land on his feet, facing away from her. Right as Kuririn spun around to launch another fist at her, Caulifla launched her hand in a cutting motion directly at Kuririn's throat, hitting him in the against the gullet, and launching him against the decorative wall, causing it to crumble over him.

"With a massive chop to the neck, Kuririn has been launched into the wall!" The announcer shouted. "I wouldn't blame anyone if they decided to stay down after such an attack! I'll start the ten count! One, Two-"

Right before the announcer could say 'three,' Kuririn dug himself from the rubble, coughing and gagging from the hit he took to his gullet.

"Incredible! Kuririn looks a little worse for wear and yet is still standing strong after such a blow!" the announcer added after stopping his count.

"Jeez that smarts!" Kuririn coughed. "Okay, gotta get creative now."

'_I'm surprised he's still up after that, but he's on the back foot now,'_ Caulifla thought, taking her stance once more. '_What's ol' cue ball gonna cook up now?'_

"Kaaaa… Meeee…"

'_oh for crying out loud…'_

"Haaaa… Meeee…" Kuririn recited as a blue star of his own ki formed in his cupped hands.

'_I'm gonna see it coming from a mile away!'_ Caulifla yelled mentally, preparing a Kamehameha of her own. What happened next was not what she was expecting.

"HA!"

Immediately Kuririn fired his Kamehameha in the exact opposite of his target, launching him forward like a rocket, feet first. This was enough to shock Caulifla and had no time to avoid the kick as it hit her in the jaw, sending her skidding, but stopping short of the edge of the ring. She stood up and gingerly rubbed her jaw. It didn't hurt much, but the surprise compounded the feeling.

"Okay, credit where it's due," Caulifla commented, grinning. "Of all the things I was expecting, THAT was not one of them!"

"Thought you might like that!" Kuririn responded back, proud of his accomplishment, beads of sweat rolling down his scalp. "Physics wins the day!"

"I dunno," Caulifla cheekily retorted. "You look pretty tired after that.~"

"...Oh crap," Kuririn cursed as the realization dawned on him. He hadn't had the same endurance as Gokū or Caulifla even before their training, not to mention he was the last to pick up the Kamehameha and its glaring drawbacks. His maneuver was coming back to bite him in the form of Caulifla charging towards the monk, outstretching both of her hands in a cutting fashion, moving too quick avoid, until she slammed the sides of her palms onto both sides of the monk's neck, knocking him out cold.

"Despite a magnificent demonstration of Muten Rōshi's patented Kamehameha, Caulifla had the edge in endurance!" the announcer boomed into his microphone. "Caulifla is the winner!"

The crowd cheered and Caulifla gave a small bow to the unconscious monk, hoisted his body over her shoulder, and took him back to the green room. Gokū was quick to rush over and greet his friends - one of which was in no place to respond.

"That was awesome!" Gokū cheered. "Using a Kamehameha like that was clever!"

"Too bad cue ball forgot about the stamina toll the technique has," Caulifla patted Kuririn's unconscious back, proud of her accomplishment. The monk burped from the patting and slowly came to.

"Whuh, where am I?" A dazed Kuririn muttered. "Why is the ground over there?"

"Caulifla beat you and then burped you awake," Gokū answered, earning a laugh from everyone in the green room at that last part, confusing the spiky-haired boy. "What?"

"You really are simple, you know that?" Caulifla deadpan commented. "Oh well. You're up next along with the bearded wonder over there."

"You're just saying that because you're jealous of my beard!" Jackie Chun retorted, standing up.

"Why would she be jealous of your beard?" Gokū asked. "It would get in the way of food. Soup especially."

"And also because I have zero desire to be a bearded lady!" Caulifla shouted, annoyed that Gokū was missing the point.

"Will contestants Jackie Chun and Son Gokū please step forward?" The announcer called from the arena.

"And that's our cue," Jackie Chun said, a sporting grin warping his facial hair. "May the best fighter win."

"Likewise," Gokū grinned back. "And may we learn from our fight here today."

The two competitors stepped forward ready to fight, Gokū's tail waving in the wind, causing Caulifla's mind to work once more. Summoning a magic snake dragon could work, but would it be the right way to go about it?

* * *

"We will now begin with the second round of the semifinals!" The announcer called out. "Our two contestants here are fairly popular! The champion of the 16th Tenka'ichi Budōkai Jackie Chun, who had supplanted Muten Rōshi's students then, versus Son Gokū, a member of the new generation taught by the same master! The second round shall now commence!"

The two fighters did not utter a word, but bowed before taking their stances, the taiko drums in the background building up to the gong once more.

'_If this kid is anything like Caulifla, I'll have to move quickly,'_ the old master thought. '_His strength especially exceeds my expectations by a long shot.'_

_'That disguise is for show, but it's definitely Muten Rōshi underneath,'_ Gokū thought. '_Strength alone might not win this, so I'll have to be creative and careful.'_

_GONG!_

The tension snapped and the two warriors immediately rushed at each other, opening up with a swift volley of punches and kicks, most were blocked, while a few slipped through, physically irritating both fighters. Gokū found an opening and jumped up over Jackie Chun's head using his tail to smack the bearded warrior in the face, only for it to go directly through his face as he vanished.

"What the-" Before Gokū could finish his thought, Jackie Chun suddenly reappeared in front of him, giving a silly face before kicking the boy into the already damaged wall.

"Zanzōken!" Chun announced, pleased to see his maneuver worked, but standing firm. "You're not out yet, are ya lad?"

"Not… by a long shot!" Gokū groaned as he pulled himself from the new rubble pile, but grinning in spite of himself. "Now I see how you beat Grandpa Gohan so easily."

Jackie Chun said nothing, and immediately Gokū's frame began to appear distorted as two more Gokūs surrounded the master.

"Monkey see, monkey do, eh?" Chun muttered, carefully analyzing this mimicry of his after-image technique. "You're right… There!"

No hit. Just a fading image of Gokū, only for the real one to fall from the sky and perform a sledgehammer to the wig-lined skull of Jackie Chun, knocking the old man down before he shakily pushed himself up.

"How's that?" Gokū boasted. "It's not the first time I copied a move from a master!"

"You little ingrate…!" Chun groaned. "Striking the head of your master like that…"

"_My_ master?" Gokū inquired, but caught himself and grinned. "I guess I hit you harder than I thought, eh _Jackie Chun?_"

"Eh-Oh Yeah!" 'Jackie Chun' nervously laughed. "You must've jogged some old memories with that one! Sorry lad!"

The two took stances again, but the older contestant began to hiccup and act all loopy, as if from out of nowhere, stumbling over his feet, confusing the boy.

"Uh, ladies and Gentlemen, it looks like Jackie Chun has had his beverages spiked, and it's caught up to the man!" The announcer stammered at this new development.

"Uh, did you have too much saké earlier?" Gokū inquired. "'Cause it looks-"

Before Gokū could finish, a drunken foot collided with the boy's forehead, sending him reeling. The boy recomposed himself and launched himself fist forward, only for the intoxicated - or seemingly intoxicated - old man to feint to the left and spin around, hitting Gokū in the back of the head with his fist. This missed attack gave Goku a clue as he was able to catch the smell of Jackie Chun's breath.

"Okay, not drunk," Gokū muttered. "I didn't smell any saké or beer in his breath, so maybe he's faking it."

'_Sheesh,'_ the sober mind of Jackie Chun thought. '_Good thing he doesn't work for the police. Putting breathalyzers to shame, eh lad?'_

Gokū tried to attack the faking drunkard, but since he has never had alcohol in his life, not to mention being too young to drink legally to begin with, he had no solid grasp on how to counter this style, and ran off to the other side of the arena, facing away from his opponent.

"Uh, you okay lad?" Chun asked, now behaving sober. "I didn't make you cry with that, did I?"

Gokū said nothing, but was visibly trembling, only to turn back around, a wild look in his eyes, teeth bared, snarling, until he charged at the master on all fours, barking like a mad dog. This definitely caught Chun by surprise, and the boy zoomed past and kicked the master in the back, knocking him down. He tried to get back up, only for Gokū to jump up and sledgehammer the old champion's forehead.

"Okay!" an infuriated Jackie chun shouted as he got up. "What in Sam Hell was that?!"

"Since I couldn't figure out your drunk fu," Gokū explained standing up, pleased with his work. "I decided to use dog fu! Kyōken if you'd like. Now if you've got nothing else, let's wrap this up so I can move on!"

"Hookay…" Chun sighed, calming himself. "We'll wrap this up indeed, but you won't be moving on."

"Whuh?"

"I'm impressed, but I never thought I'd have to use this move again," Jackie Chun calmly announced, rolling up his sleeves. "You're the second opponent I've had to use this on."

"Who's the first?" Gokū inquired, now visibly curious.

"Son Gohan!"

Jackie Chun clapped his hands together, focusing his ki into his arms before opening his hands, keeping his fingertips connected. An electric aura built up around his forearms flowing into his hands, until he separated his hands and thrust his palms forward.

**"BANKOKU BIKKU RISHŌ!"**

A bright arc of lightning shot from the master's hands and enveloped Gokū, causing him to scream as the electricity surged around and through him, causing every hair on his body - especially on his tail - to seize up and spike outward. The technique had lifted the boy from the ground, and if the laws of electricity are any indicator, that means that Gokū was caught in a perpetual lightning bolt with no way to ground himself.

"Concede, boy!" Jackie Chun shouted, keeping a steady stream of electricity on the boy. "This will kill you if you don't!"

"I-I'm not giving up!" Gokū strained as he was being shocked, followed up by defiantly sticking out his tongue.

"I'm not kidding! Any longer and this will kill you! I don't want that!"

"Gokū! Give up!" Kuririn called from the green room, concerned for his friend. "It's okay! You fought well!"

"There's no use getting yourself killed over a competition!" Caulifla added from the green room, even more concerned than Kuririn.

"I… I…" Gokū strained to speak.

"I won't think any less of you lad!" Jackie Chun called out. "Even Son Gohan didn't last this long!"

"I... I…" Gokū continued to strain. "I… see a topless woman in the stands!"

Caulifla sighed and palmed her face. "If this works…"

It worked. Immediately the lightning current stopped, and Gokū fell to the ground, mildly shuttering from the shock. Meanwhile, Jackie Chun's instincts immediately shifted from battle to perverse indulgence, looking for this topless woman Gokū mentioned. This was exactly what Gokū needed to recover from such a brutal technique and once he caught his breath, he saw that Jackie Chun was still visibly distracted, combing the stands from the arena. Too distracted to notice a thrum of ki build up behind him.

"Kaaaa… Meeee… Haaaa… Meeee…"

Jackie Chun paused for a moment, wondering if he had been duped, only to pick up the sound of the patented incantation too late.

"HA!"

A blue beam of ki rushed from Gokū's hands and the Kamehameha crashed into Jackie Chun, launching him from his place on the arena and into the wall. When the beam dissipated, the martial arts master slumped down not onto the arena, but onto the cool grass outside of it, as the wall he hit was on the spectator's side.

"I don't believe it!" The announcer cheered as the audience let out a collective gasp. "Jackie Chun, the champion of the 16th Tenka'ichi Budōkai, and his infamous thunder shock surprise - Pardon my choice of words, I can't remember the name of the technique - has been bested by his own indulgences and loses by ring out! Such quick thinking by his opponent! Son Gokū is the winner!"

The crowd cheered as Gokū slumped onto the arena floor, pleased with his victory. Caulifla and Kuririn quickly ran out to greet the victor.

"You magnificent dumbass!" Kuririn shouted, unable to hold back a smile. "How'd you know Jackie Chun was such a perv?"

"I uh," Gokū hesitated to answer. "You saw how he was eyeing Ran Fuan in the green room right?"

"Oh right!" Kuririn bought the answer immediately. "And that one bit where he was desperate to fight her when lots were being drawn."

"If brilliant idiot wasn't an oxymoron, I'd use that to describe you," Caulifla added, grinning as well. "Looks like we both made it to the finals!"

Jackie Chun pulled himself up to the arena, singed from the Kamehameha Gokū had launched at him. His expression was annoyed, but simply bowed, before Gokū bowed in kind.

"I'm impressed lad," Jackie Chun said. "I never thought I'd be bested by a student of the Turtle School."

"I wanted to give it my all!" Gokū responded with his trademark grin. "Besides, it's clear _you_ have some things to work on yourself."

Gokū pointed at the defeated champion, much to said champion's chagrin, but simply nodded.

"Alright!" The announcer called out. "After a fine display of sportsmanship we shall take a 20 minute recess to allow our semifinalists to-"

"I want to start now," Gokū interrupted.

"I-What?" The sunglasses-wearing announcer stammered. "But, you just fought. You're not tired after such a fight with Jackie Chun?"

"I am tired," Gokū answered. "But ever since my tail grew back, my strength grew back with it. I just want it to be a fair fight is all."

"Are you saying you're handicapping yourself for my sake?!" Caulifla snapped, visibly annoyed at Gokū's gesture. "So what if I don't have a super monkey tail! I want to fight you at your best!"

"But I wouldn't be fighting _you_ at _your_ best!" Gokū retorted, keeping details hidden as best as he could. "Besides, I'm still worried that tonight might be a full moon and it'll act up my… allergies, so the sooner we finish the better."

Caulifla moped at this retort, and was mad that Gokū was right. If her tail was going to grow back soon, she would gain strength with it, and the balance of power would be even then, but the tournament is now, and evening is close.

Evening is close!

All the more reason to avoid risking tonight being a full moon and wrap up the tournament quickly. Reluctantly, Caulifla nodded to these terms.

"Well, I guess we have a match!" The suited announcer shouted. "Ladies and Gentlemen, it looks like the finals shall go underway immediately! This should prove to be quite a treat for everyone watching! Two students of the legendary Muten Rōshi, squaring off in the finals of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai! Let the final round commence!"

* * *

Shenlong - Shenron

Sushinchū - Four Star Ball

Zanzōken - After-image technique

Bankoku bikku rishō - Thunder Shock Surprise

Kyōken - Crazy Fist

* * *

**A/N:** _So, yeah. Goku's tail is back, but he's not oblivious to the burden it carries this time. Caulifla understandably is freaking the fuq out and Jackie Chun loses because he's a 3 century old perv. This one was another one I didn't exactly have a clear direction for, since I have plans, but no road for them to get there. Well, here is that road. 'BUT OVERMIND! JACKIE CHUN NEVER ENTERED A TOURNAMENT BEFORE THIS ONE!' Whose to say he didn't? Gohan and Gyumao both studied with Rōshi, and whose to say that Rōshi doesn't use a tournament to test his students and make sure they keep up training and not suck in the end?_

_I take full responsibility for that MasakoX reference I made and will accept any criticisms based on that alone._

_That aside, hope it was a fun read. :)_


	8. Chapter 8: The Champion

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Grand Finals**_

"Oh, hey Muten Rōshi!" Bulma announced, now seeing the clean-cut master in a suit walk over. "Do you need more fiber in your diet or what?"

"First off, leave my bodily functions out of this," Rōshi answered flatly. "Secondly, I just wanted to get a better view of the fights. Guess here's got the best view."

"And right on time. Gokū's about to fight that Caulifla girl!"

"Knock her dead, Gokū!" Yamcha called out from the stands, only to quickly recoil when he realized his opponent beat him easily. "I-I-Go get 'em Caulifla!"

Bulma could only chuckle at Yamcha's indecision.

'_I only hope I did not fail either of my students'_ Rōshi thought. '_This match will be difficult to watch.'_

* * *

The thundering of taiko drums can be heard throughout the arena, the crowd silent, waiting for the battle to begin. As the drums increase in tempo, Gokū and Caulifla hold their stances on opposite sides of the arena, grinning as they both look forward to one hell of a battle.

"No holds barred, right?" Gokū asked, not moving an inch.

"Right back at ya," Caulifla responded, still as a statue.

The taiko drums reached a trill and then…

_GONG!_

Spurred by the percussive bell, the two immediately sprang towards each other, forearms clashing as the two grinned, eager to test their strength. Gokū swung his leg at Caulifla's feet in an effort to trip up the girl, but she saw this maneuver coming a mile away and leaped above, ready to kick the boy in the face, only to have her foot blocked by a reactive palm. The two separated once more, taking the same spots they started with, and assuming more fortified stances.

'_She's good,'_ Gokū thought, grinning at the situation. '_Definitely packing a wallop behind her moves. Not much I can work with to get around her offense, but there are options.'_

'_Even when tired, he packs a punch!'_ Caulifla thought, eager to begin again. '_I could go for the weak spot, but I'll reserve that option as a last resort.'_

The two stared at each other for a solid half minute until Gokū jumped up, surprising Caulifla as to wonder what he was up to. Caulifla jumped up after him, which is exactly what Gokū wanted. As soon as she reached the apex of her jump, she was smacked back down by a double axe handle Gokū delivered during his descent.

"Incredible!" The announcer looked up. "I can barely see what's going on up there! I guess this is a contest for the strongest _in_ the heavens now!"

The two traded blows during the descent of terminal velocity. When the arena floor drew close, Caulifla realized what Gokū was planning and used his body as a springboard to send him down and slow her own descent.

"Crap!" Gokū screamed just before hitting the marble tile of the arena, creating a large spider web fissure spreading in all directions. Gokū slowly got up only to have a falling axe kick to his back send him back down. Caulifla bounced off this maneuver and assumed her stance once again.

"C'mon!" Caulifla shouted. "I know you're not down for the count yet!"

"You saw right through that maneuver, huh?" Gokū said as he stood up, rubbing his back. "Got the jump before I could. Alright, how about we try something different?"

Gokū assumed a familiar stance, causing Caulifla to sigh. "Seriously? Kuririn tried that-"

"I want you to fire as well!" Gokū interrupted. "See who has the bigger blast!"

"Oh," Caulifla said flatly, while adjusting her stance. "Well in that case, Kaaaa… Meeee…"

"Haaaa… Meeee…" Gokū also chanted, as two bright balls of ki formed in the hands of both fighters, causing a mild vibration in the ground.

"HA!"

Two explosions of ki burst from two sets of hands, hurtling towards one another until they collided in the center of the ring, the collision sending a shockwave all across the arena, startling the audience. The collision continued to grow brighter until it could no longer sustain and exploded outward, kicking up a mass of dust that obscured the arena. When the dust settled, both fighters were panting slightly, as the explosion singed both of them, but not to a severe degree.

"That… was incredible!" The announcer coughed as he cleared dust from his sunglasses. "Two simultaneous Kamehameha colliding with one another only to explode in spectacular fashion! Thank goodness only the contestants felt that!"

"Jeez that was loud!" Caulifla shouted between breaths. "You were banking on that tossing me out of the ring, weren't you?"

"Thought hadn't crossed my mind, actually!" Gokū clarified, chuckling that he missed such an idea. "I just wanted to see if we were even."

"Like I said earlier," Caulifla stated. "You're simple."

"Better than being a simple_ton_ like before, right?" Gokū retorted, earning a chuckle from Caulifla.

"If it's all the same to you, let's keep things hand-to-hand from now on, alright?" Caulifla stated her terms.

"Sounds good to me!" Gokū agreed.

"Such sportsmanship ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer cheered. "The two are discussing the terms of the battle, and it looks to be getting underway once more!"

As if spurred by the announcer's words, the two proceeded to clash once more, Gokū leaping over Caulifla when the girl launched a left hook aimed for Gokū's temple. Caulifla expected the boy's tail to smack her in the face, only for it to swivel around and hit her in the back of the head. She stood up, irritated by that maneuver, and ran towards her opponent, dropping down to slide towards his feet, pivoting her legs to upset his balance. Gokū saw this maneuver coming and jumped up, only to have Caulifla vault herself up and kick him back down. Thinking she had the edge, she landed mere inches away, ready to push her advantage, but was immediately halted when Gokū sprung up and launched himself head-first into Caulifla's gut, knocking the wind right out of her.

"Not…! Fun…! Ach!" Caulifla strained as she clutched her stomach.

Gokū stood up, thinking he had won, his tail waving freely. As much in pain as Caulifla was, she needed to recover and saw a window of opportunity, grabbed the free-waving tail, causing Gokū to yelp before woozily falling face-first into the marble tile. Before anything else, Caulifla released her grip, surprising the fallen boy. "Why'd you let go?" he asked. "You could've won!"

"Where's the fun in that?" Caulifla retorted, her expression stoic. "Wrap your tail around your waist and I won't be so tempted to go for it."

Gokū agreed and with ease, wrapped his tail around his blue obi, now looking like a fur belt. "This fight seems even, don't you think?" Gokū asked.

"A little bit, but let's keep at it!" Caulifla shouted, eager to continue.

The two leaped towards each other again, fists launching towards each other and parried. A keen observer would notice each impact jolting the dust up around the arena each time.

* * *

Muten Rōshi watched the fight between Gokū and Caulifla with bated breath. What he was seeing was beyond remarkable and alarming, even by the standards his experience had set for him.

"It doesn't make sense," Muten Rōshi observed, visibly confused. "They're both tired, so those punches should be getting weaker."

"What do you mean?" Yamcha asked.

"The impacts of each attack are slowly but surely getting louder," Rōshi clarified. " I can feel the shockwaves increase in strength. Despite this, neither side is giving any ground."

"Are you suggesting they're getting stronger as they fight?"

"I'm not sure…"

* * *

The flurry of attacks persisted in the center of the ring until Caulifla found an opening - a suboptimal punch launched by Gokū - and batted it away with more force, spinning the boy around. Caulifla then locked an arm around his neck and pinned him to the ground.

"You slipped!" Caulifla shouted with glee, holding her armbar around Gokū's neck tightly. "I won't think any less of you if you give now!"

"NEVER!" Gokū defiantly shouted back, struggling to free himself. "This isn't like Jackie Chun's lightning move, so I can still fight!"

"How about if I do THIS?!" Caulifla shouted as she grabbed Gokū's waist and pulled him in for a suplex, crashing his head against the tiles, causing it to crack further. "Gonna say Uncle now?"

"Not if that's the best you got!" Gokū rejected, twisting his body to try and shake the girl off, but to no avail and fell forward.

"No use getting out of this!" Caulifla shouted, hoisting her captive to his feet. "Maybe I should throw you out of the ring!"

I'm not gonna let-" Gokū began to retort, only to suddenly cut himself off, and go silent. His expression turned blank, and stopped struggling, confusing Caulifla.

"Gokū? You alright?" Caulifla questioned, releasing her armbar and leaving the boy on his feet. He began to take short rhythmic breaths, and his black eyes turned an eerie shade of red. His heartbeat grew more audible as his body twitched with each breath. Caulifla then turned to where he was looking, and immediately her pupils contracted to pin pricks, her face turned pale and a cold chill ran through her spine. "No…"

Gokū had seen the full moon!

Immediately, Gokū began to snarl as his muscle mass began to swell exponentially, hair growing in to cover his body and his teeth grew into fangs. His gi was completely destroyed as his size grew past the fabric's limits, and when the finally transformed boy stood taller than the arena, he let out a deafening roar and began to stomp around, completely out of control.

The crowd immediately began to panic as the small monkey boy had turned into a giant monster who was stomping across the arena and tearing apart the temple roof as if it were tissue paper. The announcer tried to call out to him to get him to stop, but to no avail. Bulma and Yamcha tried to formulate a plan to cut off Gokū's tail again, tournament rules be damned, and Kuririn and Muten Rōshi could only watch in awe and terror as they ran from the debris that Gokū was throwing around.

Caulifla was paralyzed with fear.

"Caulifla, snap out of it!" Kuririn shouted, trying to get his friend to move. "Get out of the way!"

Caulifla snapped out of her paralysis just in time to avoid a massive foot from crushing her. She looked up to see the Oozaru had taken and was beyond horrified. _This_ was what she became when under a full moon, and now she was in front of this monster's path.

'_His tail!'_ Caulifla thought, trying to simultaneously compose herself and avoid being crushed by the rampaging Oozaru. '_I gotta get his tail!'_

Unfortunately, Gokū's tail, while it was unraveled from his waist, was far too erratic for her to attempt to catch, and with her stamina drained after such a battle, there was no way for her to grab it. Regardless, she tried to grab at it. Each attempt to grab the madly swinging tail was met with failure. Caulifla was experiencing a new level of fear, and began to scream.

**"SON GOKŪ!"**

Either Gokū was still in there and heard the pleas, or a miracle had been bestowed upon Caulifla's fortune, the tail began to slow down, along with Gokū's overall rampage. The Oozaru developed a surprised expression as if he still recognized the voice. Caulifla saw this opportunity and did not hesitate to latch onto the Oozaru's tail, and began squeezing as hard as she could. The beast's roars began to dull into gargles, and those gargles began to morph almost into what sounded like… words?

"Cau...li...fla…" The monster Gokū gargled. Caulifla squeezed his tail even harder, and as if by magic, Gokū's mass began to recede, his monkey-like features returning to more human ones, the roaring subsiding, and the transforming boy closed his eyes before falling face first onto the marble tile. Eventually, Gokū's transformation had been completely undone, and was back to normal, bare as the day he was born. Caulifla then immediately tore off a portion of her orange gi shirt, still covered by the blue undershirt she had on, and tied the piece of fabric around Gokū's eyes, ensuring he wouldn't transform again after all the trouble to get him to stop. Once the makeshift blindfold was firmly on Gokū's face, she pulled in the boy for a tight hug. The girl's breath was shaky and her entire body was trembling. After what had just happened, she wanted to curl up and wait for morning, but knew Gokū would stir again. Sure enough, Gokū regained consciousness and looked around, only to notice his vision was obscured.

"Wha, what happened?" Gokū muttered, realizing he was unable to see. "I-"

"Don't," Caulifla demanded, her words in between sobs. "You saw the full moon."

Gokū's heart sank and his expression frowned, but had to ask. "Did… Did anyone get hurt?"

"No, no one got hurt," Caulifla answered, tears now rolling down her face. "I managed to undo your transformation by squeezing your tail."

"I… saw," Gokū acknowledged, causing Caulifla to flinch with surprise. "It was really hazy, but… I heard you call out. I saw the arena. Everything looked small, but then started to get bigger, and then I blacked out."

"It doesn't matter now," Caulifla added, now feeling more at ease. "You're back to normal. In the meantime, we should remove that tail."

Caulifla reached for Gokū's tail, only to be stopped by the boy's hand, surprising Caulifla even more as well as infuriating her.

"I want to learn to control it," Gokū stated. "If I was able to regain myself, even a little, it might be possible to tame it."

"Gokū, you can't be serious!" Caulifla snapped, pushing back from Gokū, furious at what he just said. "You destroyed the temple grounds of the arena! "You could've killed someone! You could've killed me!"

"I know that," Gokū nodded, his tone serious and sullen. "But if my tail is gonna grow back every time I cut it off, I'd still have to worry about the moon! If I can tame myself, then I can avoid the destruction! Prevent what happened to Grandpa Gohan from happening ever again!"

"He's right," a familiar voice called out, turning out to be Muten Rōshi. "When you called out to him before squeezing his tail, Gokū calmed down. It may be possible for him to learn how to control himself when it happens. Is it risky? Absolutely, but the benefits would be boundless. No senseless destruction because of his inner animal, and no needless death because of said animal's rampage. I mourn for the loss of Son Gohan because of this, I say let him train for it."

Caulifla was at a loss for words. Muten Rōshi's words made sense, but the risk was still so real.

"If it's not too much to ask, could I get some clothes?" Gokū asked with an embarrassed chuckle, realizing how bare he was. "I was wondering why I felt a draft, but remembered-"

"I got ya covered," Kuririn interrupted and offered as he took off his gi, leaving himself in boxers. "Literally."

"Thanks Kuririn," Gokū said as he struggled to put on the gi while still blinded. "Hey, why can't I see?"

"I made a quick blindfold," Caulifla answered. "That way you won't accidentally look at the moon while we fight."

"About that..." Gokū trailed off. "Hey uh, referee, announcer, um, Guy with the microphone!"

"Huh?" The announcer mumbled under his microphone, hiding behind the edge of the ring. "Uh, what is it?"

"Did I step out of bounds during that uh, episode?" Gokū asked, picking his words carefully.

"N-Not that I've seen," The announcer answered, confused as to why Gokū was asking. This was all Gokū needed to hear, and what the boy did next surprised everyone and earned a collective gasp from everyone present.

He jumped out of bounds.

"I-uh," The announcer was left stammering and lost for words. "S-Son Gokū has thrown himself out of the ring! As this is grounds for a loss, Caulifla is the winner of the 21st Tenka'ichi Budōkai!"

The crowd cheered, but Caulifla was stunned into silence. She was not happy that she had won. In fact, she was very upset with how Gokū had just thrown the match just like that. "Gokū!" she snapped, audibly angry. "Why the hell did you forfeit like that?!"

"The full moon is out," Gokū stated. "Not to mention with this blindfold, I'm in no place to fight."

Caulifla opened her mouth to speak, but had no words to retort, and fell back to a pout. She was snapped out of her pout when she heard and felt a very audible and dense thud. When she looked for the source, it was Gokū bumping into the edge of the ring.

"Uh, little help?" a blinded Gokū chuckled, mildly embarrassed at his current state.

Caulifla, despite how emotionally distraught she was, couldn't help but chuckle as well. "Sure," she agreed, hopping down from the arena, grabbing Gokū by one shoulder to help guide him around.

"Uh, hold on!" The announcer called out. "You almost forgot your winnings!"

"Keep it," Caulifla responded flatly. "I didn't earn it."

"I respectfully disagree," Muten Rōshi retorted. "Your quick actions saved all of us, not to mention revealed that it is possible for Gokū to control that state of his. If that isn't enough, You could, oh I dunno, split the winnings?"

"He has a point," Gokū agreed.

"Okay, fine!" Caulifla relented, turning to the announcer. "I'll... take it."

"Uh, okay! Here you go!" The announcer responded, handing the reluctant champion an envelope with a 500,000 zeni check.

"I don't mean to be that guy," Kuririn spoke up. "But how are you splitting it?"

"You, Gokū and Muten Rōshi each get 125,000 Zeni, and I keep the rest," Caulifla answered.

"So, that's…" Gokū thought, counting his fingers despite not seeing them. "25% for each of us?"

"And you said math wasn't your strong suit!" Kuririn playfully jeered, earning an annoyed look from Gokū as everyone else laughed.

"Hey!" Yamcha shouted. "Why does Muten Rōshi get a cut? He didn't participate!"

"He trained us," Caulifla flatly retorted. "The least we could do is pay him back somehow."

"But didn't we p-"

"Shut it!" Caulifla cut Gokū off, holding her hand over the boy's mouth. "Let's leave that detail be for now and not make the situation any worse!"

"Gokū!" a lavender-haired woman called out as she vaulted over the spectator wall followed by her friends and the aforementioned Yamcha. "Are you alright?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Gokū responded with a goofy grin. "Still a little shaken up after looking at the moon though."

"Sorry for not telling you about that, man," Yamcha apologized. "We didn't want to freak you out at the time."

"It's fine," Gokū waved it off. "I'm planning on learning to control it!"

"Y-You think you can control it?!" Bulma stammered, trying to believe what she was hearing. "You sure that's a good idea?!"

"Preach to the choir," Caulifla agreed, and started to fidget, looking away. "Still, I'd be lying if I said I didn't think the same thing before. Maybe he's right."

"Why would you think about-"

"I had a tail also," Caulifla flatly interrupted. "Long story that I don't want to get into, but I feel like mine is gonna grow back in a couple days just like his."

"If we're all done here, can we get something to eat?" Gokū asked. "I haven't eaten since before the tournament and I'm starving!"

Gokū had just said the magic words for his and Caulifla's stomachs to growl in unison, causing the group to break out in collective laughter. "Sure!" Caulifla agreed. "I'll prep it since you got that blindfold on."

"You don't want to use that zeni to treat yourself?" Bulma asked.

"With mine and Gokū's appetites?" Caulifla retorted, earning a drawn out 'ohhhh' from Bulma.

"I brought travel food!" Gokū added with glee.

"And I have eyes," Caulifla playfully jeered. "I'll go get your capsule case."

"Go with the #12 capsule! That one's my favorite!"

* * *

Laid out before the group was a large table covered in food, surrounded by chairs and respective silverware. The group, barring Gokū, Yamcha and Pu'ar - as the latter two were in agreement with the choice - looked at the buffet with apprehension. Within the capsule Gokū mentioned were several discs of Hawaiian pizza.

"No one's eating," Gokū noticed. "Is there a problem?"

"Uh, how do I put this delicately?" Bulma hesitated as she could not form the words.

"It's freaking pineapple on pizza you idiot!" Oolong shouted before Bulma could finish.

"Oh come on!" Gokū called out, the same goofy grin plastered on his face. "You guys don't like it because you haven't tried it! Yamcha and Pu'ar like it!"

"That's because they've been living in a desert for the longest time!" Bulma retorted, earning an indignated look from Yamcha.

"Eh, I'll try it," Muten Rōshi agreed. "I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious."

"And what about you, Caulifla?" Gokū asked, trying to face his friend, only to be off by a few degrees.

"No," Caulifla flatly answered.

"Come on! Remember Muten Rōshi's rules of training?"

"Not half bad," Rōshi added, taking a bite out of his slice.

"Pretty good actually," Kuririn agreed after trying his slice.

"ALRIGHT FINE!" Caulifla loudly relented, seeing Oolong and Bulma enjoy their slices as well. "If it'll get you all to shut up about it!"

With hesitation, Caulifla picked up a slice, unfortunately they were all cut evenly, so she couldn't get a small slice. She looked at the perfectly cooked slice of pizza in her hands, cheese slightly falling over the edges with marinara clinging to it, topped with ham and the offending slices of tropical fruit. She closed her eyes and took a bite.

...Pretty good, actually.

"See?" Gokū said, seeing Caulifla's expression shift, taking a minute to taste her discovery.

"I'm mad that you're right," Caulifla said after swallowing her bite. Three seconds of silence, and then she proceeded to devour several whole pizza pies of the Hawaiian variety with newfound ferocity.

"Hey, save some for me!" Gokū shouted, noticing despite not having vision, his ears and nose told him the food was quickly vanishing, so he tried to grab what he could.

"Yeah, they're meant for each other," Bulma slyly commented while simultaneously horrified at what she was witnessing. Two children devouring an entire table of pineapple pizza that could feed an entire village - if the village were open to such a food that is.

* * *

Everyone was sitting in their chairs, comfortably digesting their food until Kuririn spoke up. "So Muten Rōshi," the monk asked. "Do you have any more training for us?"

"I'm afraid not lad," the hermit answered, smiling. "I've taught you all you need to know. It's up to you to build strength and refine your techniques. There's no use having me teach you guys forever. Gokū and Caulifla I know have plans on where to train."

"Hey Bulma," Gokū asked the lavender-haired woman. "Do you have the dragon radar?"

"Hm? Yeah, right here," Bulma answered, pulling out the stopwatch-looking device. "You're gonna go look for Sushinchū?"

"We're actually gonna gather all seven," Caulifla clarified. "We were gonna ask this Shenlong to-"

"Just Suchinchū will be fine," Gokū interrupted. "I'm gonna try and learn to control myself, and I think you should as well."

"I never agreed to this!" Caulifla snapped. "I want to be done with this curse!"

"Remember what Muten Rōshi said? About the easy path?"

Caulifla held her tongue for a few seconds until she spoke up again. "I'm still curious about this magic dragon."

"That's the same reason Gokū decided to help me gather the dragon balls," Bulma chuckled, thinking back to her travels. She clicked the device once, only for her face to frown. "Oh."

"What is it?" Gokū asked.

"Well, it hasn't been a full year yet," Bulma clarified, holding up the dragon radar, showing it was blank. "So, the dragon balls aren't active yet. They're still stone."

"Oh yeah," Gokū frowned. "It's only been 8 months."

"They're stone?" Caulifla asked, visibly curious. "I thought they were orange with red stars floating inside."

"They turn to stone after you make a wish and they all scatter," Gokū clarified, causing Caulifla to nod in understanding. "They turn back after a year is up."

"You can hang onto the radar until then," Bulma offered with a smile. "You know how to work it, right?"

"Yeah!" Gokū answered with glee, taking the device and then turning to Caulifla. "You wanna tag along?"

"Now?!" Caulifla stammered. "But, you just said these dragon balls can't be found until 4 months from now!"

"I meant back over to mount Paozu!" Gokū clarified. "We can work out how to train for the full moon!"

"I can think of a few other things to work out,~" Kuririn slyly commented, grinning, causing both Gokū and Caulifla's face to change to a light shade of red and both give Kuririn the most 'really?' look they could muster. "What?! I'm only kidding!"

"By the way," Gokū spoke up again. "What're you guys gonna do in the meantime?"

"I'm gonna head back home," Bulma answered. "I need to rest after seeing the Oozaru again."

"Same here," Yamcha added.

"So, we're all heading home then," Rōshi observed. "What about you Kuririn?"

"I'd go with Gokū and Caulifla," Kuririn answered. "But since their cloud still doesn't like me, could I stick around with you and Lunch?"

"Eh, okay," Rōshi shrugged.

"KINTO'UN!" Gokū shouted to the heavens, and summoned by its master's call, the somersault cloud descended from the night sky, parking itself in front of the group. Gokū was about to jump up onto the cloud, but remembered he still couldn't see. "Oh, uh, can I get a hand getting up?"

"Sure," Caulifla offered, jumping onto the cloud and pulling the boy onboard. "So, I guess this is goodbye?"

"'Till we meet again," Rōshi answered, with everyone else giving their respective good-byes.

"Alright, see you guys later!" Gokū acknowledged with glee. "Kinto'un, to Mount Paozu! Go!"

The yellow cloud zoomed into the sky until the group down below was long gone. Alone once again, Caulifla spoke up. "Hey, Gokū?"

"Hm?" The blinded boy turned to Caulifla's voice. "What's up?"

"I gotta ask. When we were fighting, did you notice anything… odd?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, every time we hit each other, the punches felt stronger, yet they didn't hurt any more than usual."

"Now that you mention it, we _did_ hit harder as we kept going. What do you think it means?"

"Dunno. Questions for later I guess? Speaking of questions, I'm hoping you don't plan for us to try and tame the Oozaru form at your house?"

"Oh, absolutely not!" Gokū shouted back. "I was gonna look for somewhere out of the way. The Gizzard wastelands might do."

"Vast expanse of rocky desert with no civilization for miles," Caulifla recited from the geography textbook she read during training. "It's perfect!"

"I thought… you might agree," Gokū yawned. "I'm gonna... sleep the way there."

Before Caulifla could respond, the boy was fast asleep. Today's fatigue began to catch up with her as well, and she began to feel drowsy as well. She tightened the blindfold around Gokū's eyes just to be on the safe side, until she finally laid down on the cloud. Eventually the two were both fast asleep atop a flying cloud, illuminated by the full moon until they awoke in the morning.

'_I hope we can control it…'_

* * *

**A/N:** _Monkey business! Gokū goes ape shit (technically monkey shit), but Jackie Chun didn't have to blow up the moon! This means that Monster Carrot (I fucking hate how stupid that name sounds) still lives! And regarding Gokū and Caulifla getting stronger as they fight, for anyone going 'Only saw Dragon Ball. Wat dis?' Go watch the anime (minus filler), or read the manga, for Z for clarification. Also, pineapple pizza peer pressure. :P And yes, I had Gokū forfeit because let's be real, they were both tired, Gokū especially, a full moon was out, dude was wearing a blindfold, he figured he might as well cut his losses. And to all the reviewers begging that they keep their tails, first off, thank you very much, and secondly, that was the plan the whole time! Hope this was a fun read for everyone! :)_


	9. Chapter 9: Primal Emotions

Caulifla stood in an empty void, clad in the same orange gi Muten Rōshi gave her for fighting in the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. Looking around, there was nothing. No landmarks, no sounds, just eerie silence. It wasn't until a very large door opened up ever so slowly and light cracked through its passage, causing Caulifla to reflexively shield her eyes with her arms. The light flickered and tremorous thumping was heard from behind the door. The door continued to slowly open, until a loud deafening roar reverberated from behind it. Whatever this roar belonged to was not keen on waiting for this door to open, and began to smash against it with primal ferocity. Caulifla immediately took a stance, ready to take down this beast like so many others before. The door flew open, only for Caulifla's confidence to immediately fade. The beast was an Oozaru - much like the one she became under a full moon, and just like Gokū had become during the Tenka'ichi Budōkai.

The giant monkey surveyed the room, its blood red eyes looking for prey, until it finally saw little Caulifla trembling before it. The Oozaru let out another roar and began to stomp towards the girl, causing her to instinctively run from being crushed underfoot. She was not moving fast enough to keep ahead of the monster's pace, and one large footstep caused the ground underneath her to crumble and catapult her into the air and land against a wall of the room. The Oozaru's silhouette was accented by the light given off by the door, its eyes glowing to add to the nightmarish aspect. The monster let out a roar and pulled back a fist aimed directly at her. She was unable to move as fear gripped her beyond reason. This was it. This monster was going to kill her.

* * *

"AH!" Caulifla shouted, sitting upright, coated in sweat. Her breath was quick and erratic. She wasn't in any bed. In fact, wind was rushing by her very quickly, making the sweat on her skin feel even colder than it was. She looked around and saw that she was sitting atop a welcome sight: the soft yellow fluff of Kinto'un. She sighed and looked around, noticing Gokū was still asleep, and still wearing the blindfold made of her own gi, and still bearing the tail that was at the base of his backside, now curled around his waist. She reached for her backside and felt there was no tail present, much to her relief, but the sensation in her tailbone increased by a margin since yesterday. Looking down at the earth below, she noticed that dawn was breaking, and the sun had begun to rise over the horizon, and the moon was nowhere to be seen in the sky. What they were flying over was a forest not unlike the one she traversed when first seeking out the monkey boy of Fungus Town, but her position atop Kinto'un gave her a newfound perspective of what she was traveling through. Mount Paozu must be close by.

Gokū began to stir with a loud yawn, sitting upright and scratching the back of his head, only to notice the blindfold where he usually scratches. He began to try and remove it but stopped when he remembered what happened yesterday. Caulifla saw this and gave a pat on his back. "It's all good," Caulifla consoled. "The moon's set, so you can take that off."

Gokū sighed and removed the blindfold. He did so slowly so as to allow his eyes to adjust. When he saw the sun rising up over the horizon he looked over to see Caulifla smiling, yet covered in sweat. "You okay?" he asked.

"I uh," Caulifla hesitated, but sighed. She could trust him. "I had a nightmare last night. It involved the Oozaru."

"If it's worth anything, I didn't have pleasant dreams either," Gokū consoled.

"Well, nightmares aside, your hut should be nearby," Caulifla changed the subject. "I recognize these forests."

"I do too!" Gokū agreed, now seeing where Kinto'un was flying over. "Kinto'un knows where my house is, so we can take the time to wake up 'till we get there."

The trip was uneventful and quick as the duo atop Kinto'un were placed in front of the home of Son Gokū, to which the two dismounted with a small hop. "Thanks Kinto'un!" Gokū thanked his mode of transportation as it zoomed back into its domain above. "Pardon the mess, by the way."

"It's fine," Caulifla waved off. Gokū invited Caulifla inside and to no one's surprise the layer of dust from Gokū's first return trip had increased dramatically, for he had been gone longer than before. "You could do for a good sweeping though."

"And a restock of some supplies too," Gokū added, looking at the slightly unkempt state his home was in. "I'm gonna go foraging."

"Foraging?" Caulifla asked, head cocked to the side.

"Yeah," Gokū answered. "I've been living alone in these mountains my whole life, so I gotta improvise. It's not like you don't know, right? Those makeshift mattresses during Rōshi's training?"

"Oh right," Caulifla said. "I guess I never figured you for that sort."

"I'll be back in a little bit. Make yourself at home," Gokū stated.

"Uh, sure," Caulifla acknowledged with hesitation as Gokū made his way into the forest, now out of earshot. "'Make myself at home.' What the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Caulifla stepped out of the small hut, looking around the clearing that enveloped Gokū's home. She clearly didn't want to sit on her hands while Gokū went off to handle some of his chores. Looking around she saw a pretty big boulder. '_Could practice the Kamehameha for a bit,'_ Caulifla thought. '_Exercise my ki reserves.'_

"Kaaaa… Meeee… Haaaa… Meeee…" Caulifla chanted as she drew from her latent ki and focused it into her hands.

"HA!"

She thrust her palms towards the boulder, easily boring a hole into it, but much to her surprise, the blast pierced the boulder with far more ease than she anticipated, and the blast was heading towards the forest.

"Oh crap!" Caulifla shouted as she raised her hands up in an effort to divert the blast. Fortunately for her, the blast followed her whim and diverted upward until it dissipated. "Okay, that was too close. I guess I've graduated from boulders."

"Everything okay there?" a familiar voice called from the other side of the clearing. Caulifla turned to see it was Gokū, a fresh tuna hung over one shoulder and what was once a particularly irate wolf over the other. "I noticed you fire a Kamehameha and divert the blast at the last second."

"Yeah, the boulder I was testing kinda gave way." Caulifla sheepishly admitted, gesturing a thumb at the now crumbling boulder. " I'm guessing that fish is for breakfast, but what's the wolf for?"

"Wolf fat makes for good wax and oil," Gokū answered with a grin. "That way I can keep my lanterns fueled and make candles if I need 'em. Of course the meat is pretty good also, and the hide is useful for a number of things."

"Efficient, aren't ya?" Caulifla commented on the boy's survival skills.

"Oh hey, your tail grew back," Gokū commented.

"Huh?" Caulifla muttered, turning around to check her backside. What she saw caused her to scream loud enough to spook several flocks of birds from their places in the treetops. True to Gokū's words, her tail had indeed grown back. "When did-Why-How did I miss it growing back?!"

"Maybe it grew back while you were firing that Kamehameha?" Gokū theorized. "I mean, mine grew back when I got trapped by that Kaiju Giran guy's gum."

"Well, welcome back you nightmare curse you," Caulifla sarcastically addressed her regrown appendage.

"Speaking of which," Gokū called out. "I've got an idea that might help with our training for this."

"Do tell," Caulifla responded, now giving the boy her attention.

"Since both of us going Oozaru would end badly," Gokū elaborated, earning a harsh 'obviously!' eye roll from Caulifla. "I think I might know of a good way to prevent one of us from turning."

"Okay, first you had my attention, but now I'm intrigued," Caulifla nodded along, waiting to hear Gokū's solution.

"Sunglasses!"

Immediately, Caulifla palmed her face and groaned.

"No, seriously! Hear me out!" Gokū said. "We only turn Oozaru under a _full_ moon. Not when it's a crescent or a… Giblet?"

"Gibbous," Caulifla corrected, still palming her face.

"Right. So maybe it's the moonlight that causes it, and there's only enough moonlight for us to transform when the moon is full."

"I… think I see where you're going with this," Caulifla acknowledged, removing her hand from her face. "So, the full moon makes us go Oozaru because there's enough moonlight, but if we used sunglasses to reduce that, we wouldn't turn?"

"Exactly!"

Caulifla was surprised that Gokū had formulated such an elaborate hypothesis. "Well, why didn't you say so sooner?" Caulifla asked with a grin. "We could've asked Muten Rōshi for some sunglasses before we left him!"

"I uh, only came up with the idea just now," Gokū admitted with a chuckle.

"Oh," Caulifla responded flatly followed by a chuckle of her own. "And here I thought you were gonna turn out to be a brilliant scientist or something."

* * *

_**Unknown location**_

"ACHOO!" A grown man donned in a strange set of armor sneezed violently. The man sniffed and rubbed the underside of his nose. "Someone's talking about me."

* * *

"Well, in any case, let's prep breakfast!" Gokū announced, ready to process the fish over his shoulder.

The two proceeded to gut the fish and scrape off the unwanted scales. The fins were cut off and they along with the other unwanted materials of the fish into a pile for later disposal. A quick campfire was prepared and the butchered tuna was skewered above the flames, turning it slowly to ensure the dead beast was thoroughly cooked. Half way through the cooking process, Gokū applied some fresh honey he acquired from a bee hive - the fruits of Muten Rōshi's evasion training leaving him with no stings - and smeared it lightly along the meat before it would return to the fire. In time, their noses deemed the fish ready and they cut it into fillets, garnishing the servings with locally found mint leaves. Once breakfast was served, they dug in.

It didn't take long for the carcass to be picked clean, and the two were sat in front of the campfire, satisfied with their cooking. It's nothing like their more elaborate kitchen work, but it was certainly better than just roasting a fish and eating it there and then. Eventually, a random thought crossed Caulifla's mind and she looked over at Gokū, patting his stomach which was happily digesting its meal. This thought spurred her curiosity and she had to ask the boy about it.

"Hey Gokū," Caulifla spoke up.

"Hm?" Gokū reacted. "What's up?"

"Spur of the moment question, but when's your birthday?"

This took the spiky-haired boy by surprise and began to think, rubbing his chin in an inquisitive manner. "I… Don't really know," Gokū answered honestly. "I know Grandpa Gohan found me one day and I don't think he knows either."

"So then how do you know how old you are?" Caulifla questioned, arching an eyebrow.

"Maybe Grandpa Gohan guessed how old I was when I was found?" Gokū shrugged.

"I'm the same way, I guess," Caulifla said, her tone shifting from its usual demeanor.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine. Just… thinking back is all."

"We can change the subject if you want." Gokū suggested, taking note of Caulifla's tone shift.

Before Caulifla could respond, an unfamiliar noise was caught by the duo's ears. It was still very far away, but was definitely coming this way. As it drew closer, the noise was recognized as a jeep, similar to what Bulma had used for her traversal of Mount Paozu before Gokū destroyed the vehicle thinking it was a monster. "Someone's coming this way," Caulifla spoke up.

"Who would be coming all the way out here though?" Gokū inquired, standing up and assuming a fighting stance. His tail began to wrap around his waist for safety and Caulifla was quick to do the same. The two looked sternly in the direction of the noise, wondering who might be coming. Gokū suspected it might've been that bear bandit that wanted to make Muten Rōshi's turtle friend his lunch, but it was too early to tell.

Eventually, glints of metal were seen deep in the forest and the jeep rolled out into the clearing before stopping. The engine died down indicating the driver was getting out and the driver side door opened. What happened next was a surprise, as out from the driver side door hopped a small girl clad in blue and pink armor - the term 'armor' being used very loosely as it was more akin to a bikini than anything else - a helmet with a massive blade on top, and a cape.

The mystery guest was none other than Gyūmaō's daughter, Chi-Chi, and she looked absolutely livid.

"Oh no," Gokū groaned in despair as he relaxed his fighting stance, causing Caulifla to do the same. He was not looking forward to this meeting, all while Caulifla was confused.

"Son Gokū!" Chi-Chi screamed in fury. "Do you have any idea how I feel right now?! To be led on like this you big jerk?! You're ducking out on marrying me?!"

"So this is Chi-Chi?" Caulifla muttered, seeing the irate girl for the first time '_And here I thought _I _was a hot-head. Modesty doesn't seem to be her thing, given her get-up.' _Chi-Chi marched straight to Gokū, causing the boy to sweat nervously.

"I-I tried to clear things up, but you weren't home!" Gokū defended, raising his hands up. Gyumao must've told Chi-Chi, and it is obvious now that she didn't take it well. "I really didn't know what marriage meant until I figured out when training with Muten Rōshi!"

"Can you seriously be that stupid?!" Chi-Chi shrieked, causing both Gokū and Caulifla to wince. "How can you not know what marriage is?!"

"I-I've been living here alone for most of my life!" Gokū retorted, trying to find words to quell Chi-Chi's newfound fury. "Grandpa Gohan never explained the concept before he died!"

"AND YOU AGREED TO SOMETHING YOU KNEW NOTHING ABOUT?!"

"I'm really, really sorry, Chi-Chi," Gokū bowed, hands together. "I didn't mean for this to happen."

Chi-Chi's temper began to calm, until she finally noticed Caulifla's presence, to where she flared up again and a renewed fury was directed at Gokū once again. "Who is she?!" Chi-Chi demanded.

"Uh," Gokū stammered, trying to find the right words to answer.

"Answer me! Who! Is! She!" Chi-Chi shouted again, punctuating her reiterated question with harsh finger jabs to Gokū's chest.

"My name's Caulifla," Caulifla spoke up flatly. "And before you ask, no, we're not dating."

"Then why are you here at Gokū's house?!" Chi-Chi angrily retorted.

"Because staying with Muten Rōshi sounds like Hell and I've been nomadic for the longest time?" Caulifla answered with an eye roll.

"Nomadic?" Chi-Chi asked, unsure of what that word means.

"Moving from place to place never settling down… right?" Gokū elaborated, hoping he got the answer correct.

"I know what the word means!" Chi-Chi shouted. This was half-true, as she associated the word with migration.

"Besides, I need help dealing with this curse attached to my backside." Caulifla added, gesturing to her tail, causing Chi-Chi to stifle a gasp.

"Y-You have a tail?!" Chi-Chi exclaimed. "I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions. I didn't know Gokū had a sister!"

"I'm not his sister you immodest imbecile," Caulifla retorted in the most deadpan manner she could muster. "I swear, you're almost as dumb as Gokū was before Muten Rōshi's training."

"HEY! I'm not dumb!" Chi-Chi yelled, followed by an immature pout. "Besides, what's so bad about having a tail?"

"If you watched the Tenka'ichi Budōkai yesterday, you'd know," Gokū answered as he wrapped his tail around his waist. "I'll tell you, but only if you keep it secret."

"Fine," Chi-Chi nodded, still pouting. "But I also want you to promise to not go out with that girl!"

"Okay, that's just mean!" Caulifla interrupted, her face working with annoyance. "You've only known Gokū for all of a day!"

"I thought you said you weren't dating," Chi-Chi retorted, her expression warping to reflect anger.

"T-That's because-Just… S-Shut up!" Caulifla stammered, turning red in the face, her expression rivaling Chi-Chi's.

"I knew it!" Chi-Chi exclaimed, jabbing a finger at Caulifla. "YOU'RE the reason Gokū broke his promise!"

"Hey! if it wasn't for me, he'd still be clueless thinking marriage was some food!" Caulifla retorted, jabbing her own finger at Chi-Chi.

"You had no right to involve yourself with the man I was supposed to marry!" Chi-Chi shouted, her forehead pushing against Caulifla's in rage.

"At least he took it upon himself to tell you his mistake while YOU ran off to god knows where to train!" Caulifla shouted back, pushing her own forehead into Chi-Chi's.

The two girls glared at each other, both viciously growling wanting to tear each other apart. Gokū meanwhile watched this exchange unsure of what to make of it. Two girls fighting over him was not something he'd ever expect to see.

...Fighting! Of course!

"Perhaps you could settle this with a sparring match?" Gokū suggested, a goofy grin plastered on his face.

The two girls looked at Gokū with surprise, with Caulifla speaking up first. "That… I'm actually up for that," she agreed, recomposing herself.

"If I can prove I'm better for you than she is, fine," Chi-Chi agreed, simmering down a notch.

"We can use the same rules from the Budōkai," Gokū elaborated as he began to dig his heel into the ground, drawing out a large earthen square around the two. "Fall out of the ring, cry uncle, or go unconscious for more than 10 seconds and you lose. No weapons and no killing."

Gokū looked around for something to substitute as a gong, and looked over at what was left of the boulder Caulifla destroyed. He walked over and readied a ki-infused punch in order to make a loud enough impact.

'_I can't believe I'm fighting over Gokū,'_ Caulifla thought, squaring up. '_At least Chi-Chi will shut up if I win.'_

'_I'm not gonna lose to some thistle-headed tomboy!'_ Chi-chi mentally shouted. '_I saw him first! Gokū is _mine_!'_

"Begin!" Gokū shouted as he punched the megalithic gong, causing it to crumble audibly. The two fighters launched at each other, fists reared back ready to strike, but Caulifla had a wry smirk on her face, for she had a plan. Right as she threw her punch, she unfurled her hand into a palm strike and let out a mighty shout.

"HA!"

Immediately, a massive gust of wind barreled towards Chi-Chi with the force of a cannon ball - a kiai - and impacted against Chi-Chi's torso, sending her flying back. She tried to stop her momentum by digging her heels and fingers into the ground, and slid to a halt just shy of the boundary Gokū had dug up.

"What was that?!" Chi-Chi shouted, visibly frustrated. "You didn't even hit me!"

"It's called a kiai, Ms. Mohawk," Caulifla answered, the name in reference to the blade atop Chi-Chi's helmet. "What was your training regimen anyway?"

"I had my dad build it around Muten Rōshi's style," Chi-Chi answered, taking a stance once more. "But I don't remember any kiwi eyes or whatever you called it!"

"'Kiwi eyes,'" Caulifla repeated, snickering to herself, earning an annoyed look from Chi-Chi. "Well, since you're so easy to knock around with a _kiai_, I'd guess you're about as strong as Kuririn, and I beat him easily."

"Oh that is it!" Chi-Chi shouted, having enough of Caulifla's attitude. "I'm done playing around!"

Chi-Chi reached for the blade atop her helmet and pulled it off, ready to throw it directly at Caulifla. Right as she threw the blade, it was immediately stopped by a large red pole that was Nyoibō. Caulifla was surprised that that mohawk atop her helmet was more than just for show, as well as that she would resort to such a weapon so soon if at all, and Chi-Chi was surprised as well as angry that her attack was stopped like that.

"I said no weapons, Chi-Chi!" Gokū angrily shouted, retracting the Nyoibō and grabbing the stopped blade. "That was a dirty trick trying to do that!"

"B-But-But-But-' Chi-Chi stammered, unable to find an answer to retort with.

"I agree with Gokū on this one," Caulifla added. "But I'm game to let you try again. I'd like to win this without my opponent being disqualified because she's a _dirty little cheater_."

The armor-clad girl - again, the term 'armor' being used loosely - pouted with indignation at this girl's behavior. Caulifla is willing to give her a second chance? What game is she playing at?! "Fine," Chi-Chi relented. "But no more of that kiai nonsense or whatever it is!"

"Sure, but can you change into something a little more… modest?" Caulifla asked. "I can't take you seriously while you're wearing that ridiculous bikini."

"It's my armor!" Chi-Chi snapped back.

"Very impractical armor," Caulifla retorted, pinching the bridge of her nose. She reached for a capsule case she had fastened to her obi and pulled out a #4 capsule. She gave it a click and tossed it lightly to the ground, only for the capsule to explode with a 'POI' a few seconds after landing. What was once a capsule was now a suitcase. Caulifla walked over to it and opened the case, pulling out her old style of gi, purple with a pink long-sleeved undershirt and matching obi. She took the articles of clothing and tossed them at Chi-Chi. "I dunno your size, but these should do. Find somewhere to change."

"I don't wanna!" Chi-Chi pouted. "I don't wanna wear the clothes of a girl trying to steal Gokū from me!"

"I'm not trying to steal anyone!" Caulifla shouted.

"Then why are you giving me a second chance to fight?!" Chi-Chi snapped. "What kind of game are you playing at?!"

"I'm not playing any game you idiot!" Caulifla snapped back. "I just want a fair fight! Gokū would understand!"

"What would you know what he understa-"

"She's right," Gokū interrupted Chi-Chi. "I like a fair fight if I can help it."

Chi-Chi looked at Gokū with surprise, and then Caulifla, and then back to Gokū. She then collapsed to her knees and began to cry in a comical tantrum. "The man of my life is leaving me for a thistle head!" Chi-Chi cried, her eyes shooting tears out like a faucet.

"First off, rude," Caulifla stated in an annoyed tone. "Secondly we didn't even settle the fight properly yet. Thirdly - and this is just my curiosity talking, - why did you immediately want to get married with him in the first place?"

"I… don't wanna say," Chi-Chi started to answer but hesitated, her face turning red.

"It can't be as ridiculous as Gokū thinking marriage is food, can it?" Caulifla added, waiting for an answer.

"You don't know that!" Chi-Chi shouted. "After he found me and brought me using Kinto'un, he... he patted…"

Chi-Chi couldn't finish her sentence as she smiled and her face turned red as a tomato, and suddenly Caulifla's face turned a similar shade of red, but her face was warped with disgust and she palmed her face with an audible smack. "Oh you have GOT to be kidding me..."

"Yeah, it's embarrassing when I think back to it," Gokū added, nervously chuckling with a blush and scratching the back of his head.

"I… I'm at a loss for words right now," Caulifla slowly stated, her face still obscured by her hand. "So let me get this straight. All this started because Son Gokū, the absolute simpleton that he was at the time, who had been living isolated in the forests of Mount Paozu for his entire childhood, patted your crotch to simply check if you were a boy or girl."

"Well… it sounds dumb the way you say it!" Chi-Chi retorted, her blush subsiding but not completely.

"It's exactly the way I said it!" Caulifla shouted with exasperation, earning a small nod from Gokū.

"Uh, sorry for doing that by the way," Gokū nervously apologized to Chi-Chi.

The mountain princess was left without words for a good half minute until she spoke up again. "I… guess I should apologize as well," Chi-Chi said looking down, earning a small flinch of surprise from Gokū. "I'm sorry for assuming so much."

"It's alright," Gokū waved off with a grin. "Can I get you anything while you're here?"

"No, that's fine," Chi-Chi waved off, her tone sullen, yet disturbingly stern. "I'm gonna head back home. Bye!"

Chi-Chi waved as she got back to her jeep keeping her face hidden from view of the two monkey children. Gokū was relieved that this ordeal was resolved, but Caulifla was uneasy, for she heard something Chi-Chi had muttered under her breath, something Gokū had not heard.

"_This isn't over you thistle head…"_

The jeep rolled off into the forest leaving the two alone once more. Gokū was as carefree as he had always been, while Caulifla was still tense. The former noticed this and walked over.

"You okay?" Gokū asked.

"Yeah," Caulifla answered flatly. "Just thinking is all."

* * *

_**Gizzard Wastelands, Dusk, One Month Later**_

Gokū and Caulifla stood in the middle of a vast expanse of rocky desert, several rocks and cliffs making the terrain highly uneven and crowded. No wildlife could be seen for miles, and the only flora that can be accounted for were a few tough desert shrubs sprinkled across the arid and cooling mesas, clinging to wherever moisture could be found - the perfect place to tame the Oozaru safely. Gokū was still wearing his orange gi, but with an added backpack and white piece of cloth hanging from his obi. Caulifla was wearing a simple white shirt and pants. Gokū suggested they wear expendable clothing given the nature of the transformation, and Gokū would hold onto her gi in his backpack until the transformation had been undone. Since Gokū had transformed last, Caulifla was to go next.

"Are you sure about this, Gokū?" Caulifla asked, now sporting a pair of sunglasses on her face.

"I've already looked at the moon, and the sunglasses worked," Gokū answered, also wearing a pair of sunglasses. "Besides, There's a lot of cliffs I can use for cover to get to your tail if you can't regain yourself."

"Okay," Caulifla sighed. "Just… please be careful, alright?"

Gokū gave a thumbs up and leapt away from the small mesa they were standing on. Caulifla took another deep sigh and looked down, closing her eyes. She removed her sunglasses and looked up at the sky. She opened her eyes slowly, and saw the full moon. Immediately, her eyes shot open and her mind went blank. Her normally black irises and pupils turned an eerie shade of red and her breath shifted to quick, rhythmic inhales matching a similarly rhythmic movement her body was convulsing in. Her heartbeat grew louder and the tempo of her spasms increased along with it. In time, her muscle mass began to expand and hair grew all over her body, destroying the cheap clothing covering her body. Her features continued to mutate into more primal simian qualities until she stood tall enough to crumble the small mesa she stood upon. Before the dust could clear, Caulifla let out a massive roar that could be heard for miles, and deafen any creature with sensitive enough hearing.

"Caulifla!"

Gokū called out from his hiding spot seeing if his voice could get through to the now rampaging Oozaru. There seemed to be no effect. Instead, the monster that is Caulifla proceeded to march towards the sound of the call, prompting Gokū to move from his hiding spot to another. '_Okay, so far, nothing,'_ Gokū thought. '_Let's give it one, maybe two more tries and then I'll get her tail.'_

"Caulifla!"

Gokū shouted again, this time with more volume and a short distance from where Caulifla had pulverized Gokū's last hiding spot. Caulifla's primal tantrum wavered, but only by a small margin. The giant monkey proceeded to stomp her way towards Gokū's new hiding spot, starting the cycle over again. '_She's slowing down a bit,'_ Gokū noted mentally. '_One more try and then it's tail time.'_

"CAULIFLA!"

Gokū shouted a third time, and it seemed that this time it registered in Caulifla's mind. A shocked expression dawned on the monster girl's face and her rampage slowed even further. Her tail was swinging slowly - slow enough for Gokū to grab onto it with ease. The boy did not hesitate to leap at this opportunity, swiftly ducking behind cliffs to avoid Caulifla's red gaze. By the time he reached her tail, he jumped up and latched onto the appendage, squeezing it tightly in a vice. Immediately Caulifla's rampage was brought to a halt and her roars were replaced with gargles mixed in with broken and slurred words.

"My… Tail…" The monster girl muttered as Gokū squeezed down on the appendage in question.

"If you're in there, say my name!" Gokū shouted, keeping the pressure on his grip.

"K… Go… Ku…" Caulifla strained out. Gokū then squeezed down onto her tail with all the force he could muster, causing her to recede back to normal.

"Close your eyes and look down!" Gokū called out as Caulifla continued to shrink back. The monster struggled but complied until she fell forward and was out cold. Gokū quickly opened up his backpack and tarped Caulifla's bare frame with a blanket. Once covered, he walked over and pulled the white cloth from his obi and tied it around the girl's eyes. He then pulled out her stored gi along with an extra pair of sunglasses and laid it out next to her, neatly folded. Gokū turned away and sat down with a sigh, waiting for Caulifla to wake up. Minutes turned to hours until Caulifla stirred once again.

"Whuh, where-" Caulifla muttered in a dazed state.

"You transformed," Gokū answered slowly and calmly. "I'm okay, and so are you. I may have bumped my shin against a boulder you threw around, but otherwise I'm fine. Did you see anything?"

"I… did," Caulifla hesitated to answer. "I heard your voice. It was muffled but it was there. Everything was so… fuzzy. How many times did you call me?"

"Three times," Gokū answered, still not looking back for Caulifla's decency. "On the third time, your rampage slowed down enough for me to grab your tail."

"Sounds like progress," Caulifla noted with a smile, but then her expression shifted. "Do… Do you think I could try again?"

"Try again?" Gokū repeated, visibly surprised that Caulifla would want to try again after all that. "Sure. We still have moonlight. I'll pack your things back up."

Gokū proceeded to gather Caulifla's laid out gi, sunglasses and blanket - all while averting his eyes - and packed them away in his backpack. He took the blindfold off Caulifla and leapt away once more, allowing the cycle to repeat.

Unbeknownst to both monkey children, a third person was watching from a very far distance with a telescope. It was Chi-Chi, and she was visibly furious, a blush tinting her face. She was clad in much more modest clothing this time - a basic green gi with a blue obi - and she snarled with fury.

"Caulifla…!" Chi-Chi growled, crushing the telescope in her hand. The glass did not cut her skin, for she had toughened up with her off-shoot Turtle School training, but it did significantly bruise her hand regardless. "I will get back at you for stealing Son Gokū from me...!"

* * *

**A/N:** _Hooooooo boy! I had a tough time with this one, but it's at a level I deem acceptable. So yeah, Chi-Chi shows up and she is royally pissed. (What dafuq else is new? :P ) I will say I had trouble settling on a direction to go after a certain point, but methinks I managed in the end. No seven-year time-skip with zero Chi-Chi here! Also, moon training begins in ernest! And regarding that sneeze, who could I be referring to?~ Let's just say I got plans that may or may not jump the shark, but it's one thing to jump the shark, and it's another to execute it well. Also, Goku using animal carcasses for something OTHER than food?! WHAT MADNESS IS THIS?! Dude's been living alone for most of his life, and he probably improvised on what he picked up from Grandpa Gohan before he died. Hope this was a good read. Leave reviews at your leisure :)_


	10. Chapter 10: A Sniffling Reunion

_**Gizzard Wastelands, 3 months later**_

The silence that presided in this expanse of rocky desert had been disturbed by a loud monstrous roar and the quaking of massive footsteps. Gokū had become an Oozaru once again, but his initial rampage was more tame in comparison to the one witnessed during the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. Hidden from the monster's view, Caulifla was calling out to Gokū in an effort to bring Gokū's mind back and in control.

"GOKŪ!"

The Oozaru's rampage slowed to a crawl as Caulifla maneuvered in to grab his tail, as per their regimen dictated. Before she jumped up to grab it however, Gokū gestured his massive hand to his backside and began to speak. His speech was broken and slurred, but present.

"WAIT!" Gokū strained out, stopping his rampage completely and holding his massive head. "I'm… back…!"

"Are you sure about that?!" Caulifla yelled, ducking away once again in the event Gokū loses himself again.

"Yeah," Gokū growled, followed by a light chuckle. "S-Stiil… fuzzy… but can... see…"

"What's your favorite type of pizza?!" Caulifla shouted out, testing to make sure Gokū really was back in control.

"Hawaiian…" Gokū answered, his face working more with annoyance than pain. "Don't… make me… hungry please… Also, don't… shout… Hearing's… really good like… this..."

"Sorry," Caulifla apologized, lowering her volume. "Do you want to keep going, or should I change you back?"

"Lemme… try…" Gokū growled as he reached for his tail and began to squeeze. The beast yelped and immediately his knees buckled with a groan, The impact sent a large tremor through the earth to be felt for half a kilometer around. Gokū's mass began to recede and a surprised Caulifla jumped over to the shrinking boy, ready to assist should his grip lapse. Sure enough, Gokū's grip slackened halfway through and his mass began to swell back up slowly.

"Little… help?" Gokū asked sheepishly with a chuckle.

"On it," Caulifla agreed, latching onto Gokū's tail and squeezing it down. Eventually Gokū was back to normal, but not unconscious. He was panting heavily and had his eyes closed, reaching out behind him gesturing for something to be handed to him. "Oh, right!"

Caulifla handed Gokū a pair of sunglasses as well as his gi. The boy got dressed and sat down, trying to stabilize his breath. "Hoo boy!" Gokū sighed with exasperation and a massive grin. "I think that's a good milestone, don't you think?"

"I didn't think it was possible!" Caulifla added, sporting an even more giddy grin than Gokū. "You actually managed to gain some control! I think this calls for celebration!"

"How about we get back to my house first?" Gokū suggested with a stifled yawn. "I'm kinda beat after that."

"Sure," Caulifla agreed, now feeling the sleepies catch up to her as well. "Kinto'un!"

The contrail of Kinto'un streaked across the moonlit sky, and the duo hopped aboard, ready to catch some well-earned shut-eye.

* * *

_**Gokū's house, The next morning**_

Gokū stirred with a loud yawn, satisfied with his night's sleep as light beamed into his hut. He stood up from his bed and got dressed as well as dealt with his usual wake-up routines, one of which was checking the Dragon Radar for any indication that the Dragon Balls were active. Naturally nothing has shown up on the device over the past 4 months since he borrowed it from Bulma, and has only recently taken to checking it on a daily basis. Gokū gave the device a click to see if anything would show up in the immediate area. Nothing. He adjusted the dial to search farther, until a distinct pinging emitted from the device, and a small yellow dot was blinking to the far right side of the screen, indicating it was somewhere to the east. Immediately Gokū's face lit up and he raced outside.

"Caulifla!" Gokū shouted with glee. "They're active again! The Dragon Balls are active again!"

Caulifla drowsily emerged from her dwelling - which was a small mobile capsule home she had purchased with a portion of her zeni winnings - and her face lit up when Gokū's words registered past her eardrums. "Really?" Caulifla asked with wondrous disbelief.

"Yeah! Take a look!" Gokū giddily replied, holding the device's screen forward for Caulifla to see. Sure enough, there was a distinct pinging dot on the screen to the far right.

"So, how far is it?" Caulifla asked. "I don't see-Oh wait, there's the scale. So… roughly a hundred kilometers thattaway?"

"Looks like it," Gokū agreed, looking at Caulifla point eastward. "Let's have breakfast and head off!"

"Sounds good to me," Caulifla nodded. "I wonder what these dragon balls look like up close?"

"You're gonna find out soon enough!" Gokū replied with a grin.

The two prepped breakfast from a fresh tiger carcass and ate their fill. Once they packed their capsules for the journey ahead, Gokū summoned Kinto'un and the two were off. Little could they know that they were in for more than a simple scavenger hunt.

* * *

_**Wilderness, Unknown Campsite**_

A tall rugged man and shorter anthropomorphic dog man stepped out of a capsule house and let out a yawn. They both looked visibly exhausted and coated in a small amount of dirt. "I can't believe we got conscripted into this bull," the taller man groaned.

"You're telling me," the dog man agreed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "That was the first time I've slept in days."

"You'll be sleeping for much longer if you don't get to it," a stern voice called to the duo, causing them to seize up with fear. A tall muscular man in denim jeans and a large open trench coat walked out of his own capsule house, head topped off with scraggly red hair.

"O-Oh! Mornin' Colonel Silver!" The taller man saluted, now sweating bullets.

"Piss off with the pleasantries and get to work!" The man known as Colonel Silver shouted. "It's already 8 A.M., start searching! Commander Red's patience is thin enough as it is and General White's company has already secured their find. Delay any longer and all of our heads are gonna be on pikes! Is that understood?!"

"Y-Yes sir!" The dog man saluted with cowardice. The two workers hopped into a nearby truck and began driving off. The two grumbled about their boss and the organization they had been forced into. "This sucks."

The rugged man and dog man hopped out of their truck and began searching once again. "The hell are we lookin' for anyway?!" the taller man shouted. "Some jewel or whatever?"

"That's how the colonel described it," the dog man answered. "But how are we supposed to find this jewel?! Their radar system sucks!"

Their bickering was cut off when an odd whirring noise caught their attention. They looked up and saw a little yellow cloud descend to their location, carrying two children with… tails?!

"Yo!" Gokū called out as he zoomed by the two. "Okay, it should be around here."

"Who the hell are you pipsqueaks?!" The taller man shouted, readying his sidearm.

"Just looking around," Caulifla answered nonchalantly. "No need to get violent."

"I disagree, little lady," the shorter wolf man retorted. "You twerps are interrupting official business. So get lost or get popped!"

"Found it!" Gokū shouted as he held up the six star Dragon Ball. "Oh wait, one, two… This is Liushinchū. Oh well."

"That kid found a Dragon Ball?!" the scraggly duo cried out in unison.

"You know about the Dragon Balls?" Gokū asked, surprised and curious.

"Hell yeah we do!" the taller man stated pointing his gun at Gokū. "Now hand it over, and you won't have to be buzzard food!"

"Nope!" Gokū rejected, sticking out his tongue. This angered the man and he tried to grab the ball, only for the ball to be knocked out of Gokū's hands and the monkey boy kicked the man into the air, landing him in a thorny shrub several meters away. "You gonna try something too?" Gokū asked the dog man.

"You little shit!" the dog man cursed as he pulled out his own pistol and began firing, only for Gokū to dodge every bullet with ease.

"Boo!" Caulifla tapped the dog man's shoulder, causing him to yelp and jump up. Caulifla jumped up after him and performed a double axe handle to the dog man's gut, sending him down to earth and knocking him unconscious. "I've heard of all bark and no bite, but this is ridiculous!"

Gokū snickered at Caulifla's joke and went to pick up the six star Dragon Ball that was knocked out of his hands. "Definitely six stars," Gokū confirmed. "Might as well hold onto it just in case. You wanna see it, Caulifla?"

Caulifla walked over to inspect the orb, and was immediately hypnotized with its beauty. A shiny glass-like sphere of clear amber with six red pointed stars floating inside. No matter how you turned it, the stars stayed in the same spot and orientation. It almost seemed to glow on its own as if by magic. "It's so… pretty," Caulifla muttered as her eyes sparkled in marvel at the mystical sphere.

"And there are seven in all," Gokū added. "If you think these are amazing, you should see Shenlong when all of them are gathered!"

"I kinda want to gather them all just for that now," Caulifla stated, tearing her eyes away from the jewel. "Question is, what would we wish for?"

"Maybe we'll come up with one as we go?" Gokū suggested. "We don't have to summon Shenlong immediately after we find them."

"I thought you just wanted to find Sushinchū?" Caulifla questioned.

"I did," Gokū answered. "But I figured maybe I could catch it right before they scatter again."

"Oh," Caulifla nodded. "Well, we won't find them by standing around now will we?"

"Nope!" Gokū agreed as he hopped aboard Kinto'un and Caulifla quickly followed. As the cloud flew off, the taller man struggled to pull out a radio.

"C-Colonel Silver! Ach..!" the taller man strained as he pulled himself out of the thorny bush. "We… Gotta problem…!"

* * *

"What?" The colonel shouted at his radio. He was presently sitting inside his capsule home. "THEY WHAT?!"

Immediately the red-headed man picked up a guided rocket launcher and ran outside to look for the interlopers. "There!" Silver shouted as he took aim, locking onto the flying cloud and firing.

"Hey Gokū, do you hear som-" Caulifla spoke up until a loud explosion collided with them and knocked the two off their perch. The cloud was nowhere to be seen, but the two children that were riding it fell unscathed. The two landed neatly, looking none the worse for wear, but were both irritated. "HEY! What's the big idea?!"

"You blew up Kinto'un you jerk!" Gokū shouted, visibly angry.

"Lucky dodge you little twerps," Silver commented as he tossed the rocket launcher aside. "Hand over that Dragon Ball and Colonel Silver - yours truly - won't send you along with your little cloud."

"Gokū, I think this guy means business," Caulifla noted, squaring up and then turning to Silver. "Why're you looking for the Dragon Balls in the first place?"

"That's up to the jurisdiction of the Red Ribbon Army, squirt," Silver answered, dropping his trench coat and taking a boxer's stance. "I also see you have a radar that's more accurate than our own. Hand it and the Dragon Ball over if you want to live. I won't ask again"

"After what you did to Kinto'un?! I don't think so!" Gokū retorted while squaring up as well.

"Fine," Silver said flatly, and with a blur appeared right behind the two holding the bag that held the Dragon Radar and Dragon Ball "Too easy. Now to finish you-"

Before Silver could finish his sentence, the bag vanished from his hands. He looked around to see where it went and it was back in Gokū's possession. "Hands off!" the boy shouted. "I'm not letting you take these after what you did!"

"I'll take it by force then!" Silver shouted, taking his boxer's stance once again.

"And either of us will knock you down with that weak stance of yours, Glass Joe," Caulifla jeered with a grin.

"Hey! I'm a boxing champion!" Silver argued, his face twinging red. "I'm not a Glass Joe! My stance is a dam to a river!"

"Wanna prove him wrong, Gokū?" Caulifla asked her friend, taking the bag from his arms.

"Sure," Gokū agreed, taking his own, more fortified stance. Immediately the boy launched himself driving his left foot into the colonel's gut, causing him to gasp and buckle over. "See? You were wide open. Too easy to kick you in the stomach, and don't get me started on how unguarded you were below the belt."

"You… little… Ach!" Silver strained with a cough.

"Gokū, what should we do?" Caulifla asked. "Glass Joe over here blew up Kinto'un and the next ball is several hundred kilometers away due north."

"Maybe this guy has a capsule case we can use?" Gokū suggested with a grin. "It's only fair since he blew up Kinto'un with a rocket launcher."

"Hey! Those capsules are Red Ribbon Proper-" Colonel Silver shouted from his spot, only for Caulifla to back-hand the man across the face and into a nearby shrub.

"I've heard about this 'Red Ribbon' organization," Caulifla muttered. "Supposedly they're an upstart regime trying to take over the world. Bunch of greedy jackasses if you ask me."

"Found it!" Gokū called, emerging from the capsule home with the respective case in hand. "Question is, which capsule is which?"

"Try 'em and find out?" Caulifla suggested with a shrug.

Gokū shrugged and pulled out a #5 capsule, clicked it and tossed it. What emerged from the 'POI' was not what either child was expecting. Emerging from the capsule was a short, stocky robot with two antennae, long, spindly fingers, and feet that were little more than plates connected to motorized ankles.

"Greetings," The robot spoke in a synthetic tone. "Red Ribbon Service Robot Model #5 at your service. State your command."

"Cool! A robot!" Caulifla gaped at the little metal man in amazement.

"Uh, do you know of any way to head in that direction really fast?" Gokū asked the automaton.

"Of course," The robot flatly answered. "In that capsule case you are carrying should be a capsule labeled #3. That will provide you with transportation."

"Cool!" Gokū nodded as he clicked the #3 capsule per the robot's suggestion. Out of the 'POI' came a large jet glider. "Cool plane, but I don't know how to fly a plane. Caulifla?"

"Nope," Caulifla shrugged.

"I am certified to fly this aircraft to your requested destination," The robot spoke up. "Please keep your hands and feet inside the vehicle and relay your requested destination."

"Thank you!" Gokū cheered as he and Caulifla boarded the plane. Gokū pulled out the Dragon Radar to check where the next Dragon Ball was located. "Let's see… 1,000 kilometers north! We can go on foot after that."

"As you wish," The robot complied, boarding the pilot's seat of the plane and bringing its engines to life. "Based on the optimal cruising speed of this aircraft and time compensation to find a suitable landing zone, your travel time is approximately 3 hours and 47 minutes."

"Kinto'un could get us there in a tenth of the time," Gokū frowned, missing his beloved cloud. "Well, let's get going!"

"What is Kinto'un?" The robot asked while maintaining course.

"At least we can quiz our robot buddy here during the trip," Caulifla noted.

* * *

_**Red Ribbon Headquarters, Commander Red's Office**_

Sat in the office was a short, very disgruntled man with an eyepatch over his right eye. His hair matched his name and was chomping on what looked like a very expensive cigar. Stood next to him was a taller bald man with dark skin standing at attention to his much shorter and far more irate superior.

"I got my best squads scouring for the Dragon Balls and have nothing to show for it!" Commander red growled. "Where in the hell are the Dragon Balls?!"

"Patience sir," Staff Officer Black consoled his commander. "Our radars are not precise, but we'll have the Dragon Balls in due time."

"You better be right," Red glared at his subordinate.

"Sirs!" A large tiger man shouted as he entered the room after knocking. "Pardon the interruption, but you're needed in the CIC. There's a disturbance regarding the Dragon Ball Colonel Silver is hunting for!"

* * *

"I-It's moving?!" Red saw the blip on the large screen moving due north, away from Colonel Silver's location. "Did that oaf find it?!"

"That's the thing, sir," The tiger man from before responded. "The Dragon Ball is heading towards General White's base, and Colonel Silver has not reported any discoveries yet."

"Get silver on the radio!" Commander red ordered. The short man sat in his designated chair and waited with impatience as the tiger man pulled up a phone to contact the delinquent colonel. Seconds passed until it became minutes.

"Any response?" Staff Officer Black asked.

"None yet, sir," The tiger man answered. "Wait! We have contact!"

"Give me that!" Red snapped as he grabbed the corded phone from his anthropomorphic subordinate. "Silver! Report! Okay… Wait, someone's got a better radar?! They WHAT?! And they survived a direct RPG round?! Who were your assailants?!"

"Two… children…?"

"**YOU INCOMPETENT DUMBASS! YOU ARE SENTENCED TO DEATH!"**

Commander Red slammed the phone onto its cradle, and was visibly fuming. Red walked back to his desk of the command center and rubbed his temples.

"Quite mysterious, sir," Officer Black commented.

"What's mysterious is how Silver managed to get to the rank of Colonel!" Red snapped. "Contact General White! Tell him to kill those two brats and take back the Dragon Ball they've pilfered!"

"Yes sir," Officer Black nodded.

"And stop standing so close to me!" Commander Red snapped again. "You make me look like a midget in comparison!"

"S-Sorry sir," the taller subordinate apologized, now going over to the same phone Commander Red slammed in order to contact General White.

* * *

_**Unknown Location, 50 Kilometers from the Dragon Ball**_

"O-Okay, it's definitely getting colder!" Caulifla chattered between her teeth. "I-I w-wish I b-brought a c-c-coat!"

"I-I've n-never s-s-seen s-snow b-b-before," Gokū stuttered as he shivered, inspecting the Dragon Radar in his hands.

"Atmospheric temperatures are known to decrease in northern latitudes," The robot commented, its voice unfazed by the cold.

"W-Well, w-w-we're c-close enough t-t-to land," Gokū shivered, icicles forming in his hair. He noticed the robot was not changing course, and in fact was starting to dip the plane downwards. "Y-You ok-k-kay?"

"My joints are frozen due to a build-up of surface ice," The automaton emotionlessly clarified. "I am unable to correct our course."

"Oh C-Crap!" Caulifla shouted in between shivers. "B-Brace for Impact!"

Gokū and Caulifla screamed as they hugged each other - half out of fear and half out of an effort to stay warm - as the plane made a swift descent into the snow-covered ground below. The plane crashed with an audible boom, kicking up several tons of settled snow into the air. The robot was broken and in pieces while Gokū and Caulifla landed side by side, splayed out in the snow.

"I g-guess w-we're g-g-gonna b-be p-popsicles, eh?" Caulifla chuckled in between shivers before she faded from consciousness. Gokū could barely find the energy to speak. His vision began to blur, but he saw what looked like a little girl with red hair and a heavy coat approach him, and was accompanied by a much taller woman with blue hair and a similar coat. This was the last thing on his mind before Gokū was out cold. Literally.

* * *

"Mom! He's waking up!"F

Gokū looked around and saw he was in a cozy home with a crackling fireplace. He still felt cold but was warming up thanks to a thick blanket wrapped around him insulating the warmth from the fire. In the distance he saw an older woman in the kitchen bring over two mugs which had visible steam coming off them, and walking over to him was the red-headed girl he saw before he blacked out.

"Whuh, where am I?" Gokū muttered, taking in his surroundings.

"You're in Jingle Village," The girl answered cheerfully. "We saw you and your friend in the snow and brought you back here. My name's Suno."

"You brought us here?" Gokū asked.

"Mhm!" Suno answered with a smile. "You guys are lucky we showed up when we did!"

Gokū looked over to his left to see Caulifla unconscious, but alive. She was bundled up in a similar blanket and began to stir as well. The older woman walked over with the two mugs and handed one to the insulated boy. "Here," The woman offered gingerly. "This'll help you warm up."

"Thank you. My name's Son Gokū, by the way," Gokū accepted, blowing on the hot mug of cocoa to cool it before drinking. Suno watched the boy intently which confused him. "Is there something on my face?"

"No, just curious," Suno answered with a smile.

"Is it the tail?" Gokū asked, wondering if that's where Suno's curiosity was going to.

"Well..."

Before Suno could answer, Caulifla came to her senses and looked around in the same manner Gokū did when he woke up. She looked to her right and saw Gokū drinking from a hot mug and then she began to sniff around. "Do I smell hot cocoa?"

"Of course, dear," Suno's mother walked over to the now-awake Caulifla handing over a mug. "You two were foolish to come this far north so unprepared."

"Thank you," Caulifla accepted the mug of hot cocoa. "To be fair, we didn't know how far north we were gonna end up. Who's the girl staring at Gokū?"

"That's my daughter Suno," the woman answered. "She and a friend saw you two in the snow and brought you in. By the way, what are you two doing all the way out here?"

"Well, Caulifla and I were searching for the Dragon Balls before our plane crashed in the snow," Gokū answered, causing the girl and her mother to flinch back.

"Dragon Balls?!" The the woman asked with trepidation, hugging her red-headed daughter. "A-Are you with the Red Ribbon Army?!"

"They're not with those goons," An abrasive and very familiar voice called out from the front door. "I should know. I've met them before."

Turning to look at the front door, the duo saw a very familiar face. Through the door came a woman with long blonde curly hair tied up in a red bow. Her features were stern, and her eyes were a shade of green. She was clad in a heavy brown coat riddled with shallow holes, thick black gloves and matching combat boots. Over her shoulder was a belt-attached custom M1 Garand rifle.

"Lunch?!" The two thawed children called out in unison.

"The one and only!" Lunch confirmed with a grin. "I'm surprised you squirts recognized me, what with the get-up and all."

"A scary green-eyed blonde with a gun is hard to forget," Caulifla playfully jeered, earning an annoyed sneer from said scary green-eyed blonde with a gun. "I thought you went back to Muten Rōshi's island."

"I did," Lunch answered. "But after the old geezer came back after your tournament I wanted to take up a similar training regimen you guys did. Thought it might come in handy. Wasn't free though, and I had to bring out Blue just to get the payment sorted."

"Blue?" Gokū repeated with confusion. The seconds ticked by until it registered. "Oh right! We got your halves aware of each other!"

"Yeah. Now I know what boring crap goes on when Blue's out, and vice versa," Lunch added with an eye roll. "The old prune asked for help dealing with his perv problem."

"Probably took inspiration from Jackie Chun's defeat,~" Caulifla cheekily suggested, winking at Gokū who winked back.

"Literally what the old coot said," Lunch confirmed. "You do NOT want to know what he did to Blue during that ordeal."

"We'll take your word for it," Caulifla agreed, feeling a shudder run through her body, and not from the cold.

"I'm willing to guess he still needs more training," Gokū added, earning a grave nod from Lunch.

"Also, check this out," Lunch called out. She held her hands in front of her and closed her eyes. Slowly, a tiny sphere of light began to build. Eventually it gained enough mass and began to spin with a hum. Everyone present, Suno and her mother especially, were amazed at this. Lunch opened her eyes with a smirk. "Ki control!"

"No way!" Goku and Caulifla gasped.

"It's like a star!" Suno muttered with wonder.

The sphere faded and Lunch's knees buckled and she was left gasping for air, but she was chuckling in spite of herself. "Still get super winded after I do that," the blonde stated. "But that old raisin's training really works! Blue can pull it off a lot easier though."

"That's cool and all, but what are you doing all the way out here?" Caulifla asked, now asking the real questions.

"Blue was getting all pissy about my 'behavior,' but her goody-two-shoes attitude was sooo boring! so we came to a compromise," Lunch elaborated, emphasizing the word 'behavior' with air quotes. "I get to cut loose with vigilante work and she can deal with more mundane jobs. I heard the Red Ribbon Army set up shop here, so I thought I might lend a hand and see some action in the process."

Lunch grin then fell to an annoyed frown. "But those bastards are crack shots," Lunch groaned gesturing to several graze marks and bullet holes in her coat. "And there're several of them, along with this big guy who took a full belt of 50 cal shells without flinching! Gotta get me whatever vest that jackass was wearing."

"Good thing you had Muten Rōshi's training to toughen you up a bit," Gokū commented, seeing the bullet holes in Lunch's jacket.

"Shoulda done it sooner! It's like my whole body's made of kevlar now!" Lunch agreed, inspecting the bruises where the bullets hit. The blonde's attention turned back to the duo now that she remembered something. "Hey, not to bug, but any reason you guys were flying a Red Ribbon plane?"

"We had a run-in with some guy named Glass Joe who was-"

"Colonel Silver," Gokū corrected as CaulifLiushinchūla was explaining.

"Does it matter?! That jerk blew up Kinto'un!" Caulifla snapped. "Anyways, he was looking for the Dragon Balls, but we dealt with him no problem. Since we had no transport thanks to _Colonel Silver,_ we 'borrowed' the guy's capsule case and found a plane and a robot who could fly it."

"The robot froze over as we showed up in this region, and that led to you guys finding us," Gokū finished the story along with his mug of hot cocoa.

"But why go through the trouble of searching for these 'Dragon Balls?'" Suno's mother spoke up.

"One of them is a memento of Gokū's," Caulifla answered. "At the same time, I'm just curious to see all seven together."

"This is one of them," Gokū stated, pulling out Liushinchū, earning a marvelled stare from Suno, her mother, and Lunch. "There are seven in total, and when you gather them all, you can summon the dragon god Shenlong to grant any wish."

"Of course!" Suno's mother shouted, worry laced in her voice. "The Red Ribbon Army must be planning to use them to take over the world!"

"Sounds like Pilaf all over again," Gokū commented. "Just, not as goofy."

"If you want my opinion, they're gathering them balls probably so their leader Commander Red can be taller," Lunch commented as she inspected her ammo magazines, earning a collective bemused stare at her. "What?! The guy's a walking talking Napoleon complex!"

"They also took my papa and the village mayor," Suno sullenly added. "They said they needed more hands to search for the dragon balls, and threatened to kill anyone who said no."

"We can help take these guys down," Caulifla offered with a smile.

"I was thinking the same thing," Gokū agreed with a goofy grin. "If these guys are that mean, we might as well take 'em down a few pegs."

"Are you serious?!" Suno cried out with surprise. "They're grown-ups with weapons! There's no way you could fight them, even with Miss Lunch's help!"

"You'd be surprised kid. Those two are tougher than you realize," Lunch added with a grin. Suno was still unsure about Lunch's words, but smiled in response to her encouragement. The conversation was interrupted by a loud thumping on the front door. Lunch immediately shoved an ammo clip into her rifle and cocked it into place. "Damnit, they found us! Forgot to dust our tracks! You two, hide! Gokū and Caulifla, get up and get ready!"

"Open up!" an angry muffled voice shouted from behind the door. "We know you have fugitives and a dragon ball in there! Surrender them to the Red Ribbon Army or else!"

"Why dontcha come on in and take 'em you SWAT-mocking jackasses!" Lunch defiantly shouted back.

"Is that Lunch?! Oh, that's it!" another man shouted. The door was kicked open and two coated soldiers marched in, rifles pointed forward. "Where are the fugitives, you crazed maverick?!"

Lunch stood in the center of the room, her rifle stood at her side as she wore a cocky grin. She pointed to the ceiling, not breaking eye contact. The two Red Ribbon soldiers looked up with confusion and immediately Gokū and Caulifla landed down on top of them and delivered a swift series of punches to their respective targets, the last strikes sending them flying outside and into the snow. Suno emerged from her hiding spot with a look of mixed amazement and confusion.

"H-How did you do that?" Suno questioned, mouth agape. "I couldn't see what just happened!"

"3 punches to the sternum and a final kick to send my guy flying," Caulifla elaborated. "I think Gokū added a kick or two for his."

"Yep. 3 punches and 2 kicks," Gokū confirmed.

"See? What'd I tell ya?" Lunch stated with a grin. "I could've taken those goons myself, but I'm still winded after that ki control demo, plus I might've made a mess of your house even if I wasn't."

"Whoa…" Suno gasped with amazement that they could do such things and with such ease.

"If it's not too much to ask, could we borrow a couple of coats?" Caulifla asked, feeling the cold enter the house before closing the door. "We nearly froze to death when we first got here, and we won't be of much help if you have to thaw us every 10 minutes."

"Sure!" Suno happily agreed. "You can borrow some of my coats!"

Suno searched her wardrobe for some heavy coats and brought them to her guests. They put them on, wrapping their tails before buttoning down, and put on their respective gloves, boots, and hats.

"Thanks!" Gokū cheered. "Now I feel nice and toasty!"

Suno, meanwhile, was still surprised that these two had tails. She wanted to ask, but didn't know if it was rude or not, not to mention now was not the time for such trivial questions. Caulifla took notice of Suno's stare. "It's alright to ask about the tails," She said with a smile. "It's a curse, but also a blessing if you know how to live with it."

"O-Okay..?" Suno nodded, confused even more by Caulifla's words.

"You squirts ready to go?" Lunch called out, doing one last ammo check.

"Yeah!" Gokū confirmed with a double fist pump.

"You wanna try sneaking in, or go for a frontal assault?" Lunch suggested. The blonde preferred the former option, but enjoys sneaking around from time to time.

"Mmm, frontal assault," Caulifla picked. "We can catch the gunfire while you take out the gunners with that rifle of yours."

'_Catch gunfire?!'_ Suno thought with even further amazement. No one could catch bullets in mid air! Could they…?

"Where's their base?" Gokū asked.

"It's a big place called Muscle Tower," Lunch answered. "Place is lined with sentries and gun emplacements. Front gate won't budge for us, so we'll have to get up to one of the walls."

"Seems easy enough," Gokū noted, pulling out his Nyoibō.

"That's that magic stick the geezer mentioned before, yeah?" Lunch questioned, seeing the meager red pole. "By the way, hold onto these for me."

Lunch handed Gokū and Caulifla each a bird's feather. They looked at the quills with confusion and curiosity, and then Caulifla asked. "Are these in case you sneeze and Blue comes out?"

"No, they're for writing your next magnum opus. Of course they're for if I sneeze!" Lunch snapped with sarcasm, causing the two to flinch.

"Alright, let's go!" Gokū called as he ran towards the door.

"Right behind you!" Caulifla called out.

"You be careful out there!" Suno and her mother called out as they charged for the Red Ribbon outpost, which was a giant red obelisk in the distance.

"They're a strange bunch. It'll be a shame when they get killed," Suno's mother gravely commented.

"I don't think so mom," Suno retorted, seeing the trio charge off into the distance. "I think they might win."

* * *

Liushinchū - Six Star Ball

* * *

**A/N:** _WOOOO! CHAPTER TEN! I think that's a purdy good milestone._

_Okay, this one was fun to write. Goku is a touch closer to mastering the Oozaru form, and the Dragon Balls are active again, thus begins the grand search! The Red Ribbon is known, and referring to Colonel Silver as Glass Joe was more funny than it should've been, so I included that. :P It's also LUNCH-time! A reader suggested I include lunch for the Red Ribbon arc, and they have a valid point. Every appearance since then has been just to get better seating at the tournament and kicking Kami into a hole. As for her knowing of ki control and Rōshi training? Gotta remember, she only did less than 4 months of the regimen, so she's still rather squishy compared to the titular monsters of this story. Also, you're welcome Pu'ar. :) Besides, a square-off between her and Major Metallitron/Full Metal Jacket seems just too good to pass up._

_Hope this was a fun read for you folks! :)_


	11. Chapter 11: The Tower's Ascent

_**Outside Muscle Tower**_

Gokū and Caulifla charged at the crimson fortress with reckless abandon with Lunch running not far behind, aiming her rifle with a newly attached scope, looking to get a lock on any kneecaps in range. Blue was adverse to killing, so Blonde elected to incapacitate them at worst. The monkey duo in front drew the tower's fire and deflected or caught any bullets that were coming their way. When the sentries on the ground and along the wall stopped to reload, Gokū extended his Nyoibō and smacked several ground level guards while Caulifla took to flicking some caught bullets back to their senders, not piercing them, but definitely bruising them and knocking them unconscious. Lunch from her distance took out the upper level guards with ease, making pinpoint shots at the guards and the mounted guns along the ramparts, disabling them. When all the Red Ribbon guards were hugging their knees in pain, the trio took a second to catch their breath. More so Lunch as she lacked the endurance Gokū and Caulifla possessed.

"I… really ought… to get back on… Rōshi's regimen after… this," Lunch gasped. "Can I… get a lift up?"

"Sure thing," Gokū agreed, jumping up onto the lower rampart of the tower. He then held his Nyoibō over the edge and extended it down to allow Lunch to climb up. "Here you go!"

"Thanks kid," Lunch said as she climbed up. The climb was short since Gokū retracted the pole to save Lunch the trouble. "I gotta get me one of those."

"I'll let you know if we find one," Caulifla suggested, jumping up on her own power. She looked around to see all the groaning soldiers hugging their injured knees. "I kinda feel bad for these guys. They're just following orders."

"I'll… unscrew your heads… and shit down your necks!" one of the downed soldiers threatened, grabbing his sidearm and aiming it at Caulifla, which she promptly batted away.

"Okay, I take it back," Caulifla backpedaled. "So, if Silver was anything to go by, there should be a-"

"Hahaha! Welcome to the legendary Muscle Tower!" The loudspeaker near the door blared out. "My name is General White! Make yourselves at home. Or try to, anyways."

"Welcoming committee…" Caulifla finished her interrupted sentence with a deadpan tone.

"Where's the people from Jingle Village you kidnapped?" Gokū demanded towards the loudspeaker. "We're here to get them out!"

"Well by all means, get them out!" General White mockingly invited. "If you can get to the top floor of my fortress that is!"

"This guy's a serious ass," Lunch groaned, cocking a shotgun and aiming it at the loudspeaker. "Yo General Snowball! Got anything else important to say before I do some property damage?"

"Wha?! No one calls me Snowball except my wife!" the general fumed over the loudspeaker.

"I'm guessing because you're an absolute disappointment in bed!" Lunch retorted with a smirk.

"Why you li-"

BOOM

General White's loudspeaker was destroyed by Lunch's shotgun, which she pumped to discard the now empty casing. Lunch turned to her two friends, who looked visibly confused, and sighed. "I'll explain that quip I made when you're older," Lunch explained. "Just wanted to rile up the oaf in charge here."

"Okay?" Gokū nodded. "Well, there's the door. Wanna bet there's a bunch of guys right inside?"

"You guys can take 'em," Lunch suggested. "Still trying to catch my breath. Plus there's one guy I've been meaning to take down."

"Alright," Caulifla agreed, Gokū nodding along. The trio opened the door to the inside of the tower and were greeted with the mess hall. Several soldiers were lounging about, inspecting their weapons, both ranged and up close. They looked dangerous to the average person, but the trio that walked in was beyond average. All the soldiers looked up to see the intruders enter their base.

"Well well well," A bulky man with a knife stood up. "If it isn't the sneezing maverick. Here to kiss and make up with the boss?"

"Piss off, you overgrown beer keg," Lunch spat. "Couldn't stand working with you guys 3 years ago."

"You worked with the Red Ribbon Army before?" Gokū and Caulifla gasped at their friend.

"Like I said. Got fed up with these idiots," Lunch reiterated.

"Hey Boss!" a tall man with denim jeans called up to the ceiling. "You don't mind if we dust these runts, do ya?"

"Don't let me stop you!" General White laughed over a different loudspeaker. "Just clean up the mess after you're done."

Lunch looked to her smaller friends, who took their own stances. "You guys ready?"

"Ha! That's rich!" Another man with a submachine gun jeered. "Letting these two pipsqueaks do the fighting for her! You trying to be cute?"

"Bitch," Lunch smirked. "I'm adorable."

Immediately Gokū and Caulifla vanished from sight, causing the mess hall soldiers to look around confused. Gokū reappeared in front of the knife-wielding soldier and batted the weapon out of the man's hand before kicking him into the wall, knocking him out cold. Caulifla reappeared in front of the man with the submachine gun and stood in place. The man grinned and opened fire, but Caulifla's frame began to warp and blur. The gunner was befuddled as Caulifla smirked before vanishing again, only to reappear and launch a small kiai into the man's back, sending him on top of the guy Gokū knocked out earlier. The rest of the soldiers were dispatched with ease while Lunch walked over to the kitchen to grab a slice of pizza and a beer. Much to her disdain, the pizza was that cheap brand that's commonly sold at convenience stores, and the beer was weak. Walking out of the kitchen, Gokū and Caulifla sat atop a pile of unconscious soldiers, looking just as spry as when they began. They had taken off their coats, now that they were in an insulated space and tucked them away in a storage capsule they had on hand.

"So, how's the food here?" Gokū asked, noticing the pizza slice in Lunch's hand.

"Cheap and lacking substance," Lunch answered before turning to the loudspeaker General White's voice came from. "Just like the overweight muffin top chilling in his cozy little office!"

"You think Lunch and this General White guy know each other?" Caulifla whispered to her friend.

"Dunno," Gokū shrugged.

* * *

_**Muscle Tower, Command Center**_

General White sat in his chair, inhaling through his nose and exhaling through his mouth. Stood behind him was a ninja clad in a purple gi and a katana over his back. "That maverick's trying to piss me off. But I can keep calm."

"A Zanzōken," The purple-clad ninja noted after seeing the security footage. "Definitely an advanced martial arts technique. These aren't your run-of-the-mill kids, that's for sure."

"Interesting," General White smirked while holding his chin. "What're the odds of them getting to the top?"

"Impossible, sir," The ninja answered. "They'd have to contend with Full Metal Jacket on the third floor, and even if they get past him, there's still me."

"Damn shame," General White grinned as he cracked his neck and knuckles. "I was kinda hoping for a workout."

"Did Lunch's words get to you that badly sir?" The ninja asked with sincerity.

"S-Shut up!" the sweater-wearing general snapped angrily. He flipped a switch next to his microphone and brought it to his face. "Full Metal Jacket! Just a heads-up, you got company coming your way! Should be a cinch for you to clean up!"

* * *

The trio made their way up the stairwell expecting some resistance along the way, but there was no one around.

"Maybe there weren't as many guys as you thought?" Gokū guessed. "Maybe that big guy you mentioned made it seem like there was more."

"Maybe," Lunch shrugged, having her shotgun primed. "1,000 zeni says Mr. Bullet Sponge waiting for us on the next floor."

"Welcome to the third floor," a disturbingly mundane voice called out from the top of the stairwell. The trio looked over to see a giant heavily built man sitting in a relatively massive chair. The man was wearing purple jeans along with combat boots and gloves, and a sleeveless denim vest covered in pockets and pouches. The man's hair was unkempt and frizzy, and his face by default was morphed into a permanent frown, sunglasses fixed to his face to complete the look. "I am Full Metal Jacket - F.M.J for short. The stairwell to the next floor is over to my left, but you will have to get through me first in order to proceed."

"This the guy you said took a bunch of heavy duty bullets without flinching?" Caulifla asked while looking at the giant stand up.

"The very same," Lunch confirmed, smirking. "Lemme deal with this one. It's personal."

"Good luck!" Gokū cheered as he and Caulifla took a seat on a nearby bench.

"It is ill-advised to face me alone, traitor," F.M.J stated, seeing the blonde approach him.

"Right back at ya," Lunch retorted, taking a basic stance. "I could've taken you down if you didn't have a bunch of gnats buzzing around ya. Now let's dance."

Immediately F.M.J. drove a massive fist to the ground in an effort to crush Lunch where she stood, but nimbly jumped out of the way before the impact. She kicked off the floor to change the direction of her momentum and launched a flying kick to the giant man's face which hit home.

"Whoa!" the two spectators gasped as they saw Lunch's newfound strength.

"It will take more than that to bring me down," F.M.J. said, his voice monotone as ever, unfazed by Lunch's kick. "I will crush you."

Immediately the brute wrapped his hands around Lunch's thin frame and began to squeeze. The blonde began to strain as the pressure built up around her arms and waist, threatening to crush her ribs and rupture organs. She was stronger than the vice grip she was in, however, and began to push the offending arms away and pried herself free.

"You ever heard the saying 'look but don't touch?!'" Lunch snapped, swiftly pulling out her M1 Garand and looking down her sights. "Try looking after this!"

Lunch fired directly at F.M.J.'s left eye, and hit home. The brute's sunglasses shattered as he fell backwards with a loud thud. Gokū and Caulifla could only watch this with trepidation. Lunch took notice of this and turned her attention to the spectating duo.

"If you're gonna get pissy about me killing this jackass then try and realize he tried to kill me first!" Lunch snapped at the silently judging duo, causing the two to flinch.

"Uh, we're not freaked out because you killed him" Gokū meekly retorted. "Look behind you."

"Huh?" Lunch turned around to see F.M.J slowly standing up, almost unfazed by the gunshot wounds to his eye. His glasses were gone, but now a large portion of his face was torn off, revealing a partial metallic skull and a beady red mechanical eye. Lunch immediately frowned and rolled her eyes. "Oh you gotta be fu-"

The blonde was cut off by a gigantic left hook hitting her across the face, knocking her against one of the walls of the chamber. She slumped down but quickly stood back up and saw the giant metal man approach her. "Okay, so this guy's a robot. That explains why he's taking bullets like they're nothing," Lunch groaned.

"I am designated as Android #7 to be precise," F.M.J. monotonically clarified, continuing his death march towards the blonde.

"Hasta la vista, baby," F.M.J. said as he opened his mouth and a large missile fired from his gullet. The explosion created a large cloud of smoke, but Gokū and Caulifla, watching from the sidelines, knew what was happening. When the dust cleared, Lunch was nowhere to be seen, and a large hole exposed the room to the elements - not enough so to counter the ventilation heating supplied to the room however. Looking around with his one normal eye and one red mechanical eye, F.M.J. held up a bland victory sign before turning to the two spectating children. Right as they got into a stance, a very familiar incantation was heard from behind one of the columns of the room.

"Kaaaa… Meeee…"

A bright light illuminated from the column as F.M.J. turned to investigate.

"Haaaa… Meeee…"

Lunch jumped out from behind the column holding a bright blue star of her own ki in her hands.

"HA!"

She thrust her hands forward, aiming directly at F.M.J.'s head, and the ki exploded forward into a massive beam of energy. When the blast collided with the metal man's face, a loud explosion rocked the room and the blinding light obscured even Gokū and Caulifla's senses, and a large dust cloud obscured the target. Lunch, meanwhile, was panting heavily and moderately singed from the unmastered technique's backfire. Sweat poured down her face as her knees buckled and she fell face first onto the floor.

"Lunch!" the duo cried out as they ran over to her side. "Are you alright?!"

"I've been better," Lunch groaned, face still planted into the floor, before tapping the ground twice with what little stamina she had left. "If that didn't get Major Metallitron over there, can you finish him?"

"Sure," Caulifla volunteered, standing up and approaching the dust cloud, leaving Gokū with Lunch to make sure she'll live after delivering a Kamehameha of such magnitude. Her stamina and ki reserves were all but depleted, so after Caulifla volunteered, she went unconscious. Fortunately she had enough strength to live and her burns from the backfired Kamehameha were minor. She will recover.

Caulifla approached the billowing dust cloud, waiting for either the dust to settle or for the giant to step forward. The latter was true as heavy metallic footsteps mixed with bootsteps thumped from within the settling cloud of dust. Out of the cloud came F.M.J., looking much worse for wear, but relatively unfazed. Several sectors of his flesh were peeled off revealing a metal plating and parts of a mechanical skeleton underneath. The flesh that was once on his face was now nonexistent, leaving a ash-covered metal skull with red glowing eyes staring back at its new target. Caulifla took a stance, ready to fight this metal monster, while F.M.J. reared his fist back to deliver a punch to crush the new opponent.

But it never came.

"Huh?" Caulifla muttered, looking visibly confused as her stance relaxed. F.M.J's eyes had ceased to glow and the hum of an unknown engine revved down. This engine was within F.M.J. and he was now motionless. "Did… Did he run out of batteries or something?"

"Guess it's not just the food that's cheap and lacking substance," Gokū jeered with a grin, now holding the unconscious Lunch over her shoulder. "Kinda wish Lunch was awake to hear that one. Safe to say she won that fight?"

"Sure," Caulifla nodded with a smile. "I didn't do anything to this guy, so she gets the victory."

"You think she missed the memo about the Kamehameha's stamina toll?"

"Probably. Or she wanted to end the fight sooner rather than later and took the risk."

"We can ask her when she wakes up. Meanwhile, we got a tower to climb!"

* * *

"WHAT IN SAM HELL WAS THAT?!" General white screamed with fury, just finishing his tirade of pacing and cursing several obscenities, a few of which were made up on the spot. The sweater-wearing general turned to the ninja and aggressively jabbed a finger at the subordinate's chest. "You said there was no way those pipsqueaks could beat F.M.J, and yet you didn't even bother to make sure his batteries were fully charged?!"

"I-It was a lapse in judgement, sir!" The ninja waved his hands defensively. "I'm still trying to figure out how Lunch created that laser beam with just her hands! At least she's out of commission… right?"

"Get to the 4th floor you idiot!" the general snapped. "You're up! Can't have our guests waiting!"

"Y-Yes sir!" the ninja saluted before running off.

* * *

Gokū and Caulifla, the former carrying an unconscious blonde Lunch, made their way up the stairwell, wondering what crazy foe they'll have to deal with next. As the two reached the top of the stairwell, they were greeted with an sizeable and dense indoor garden, complete with a pond, several bamboo shoots, and a cabin nestled between some trees.

"Whoa," Gokū gasped, taking in his surroundings. "This place reminds me of home."

Lunch began to stir as a small butterfly flapped around her nose. Naturally, this caused her to sneeze and turn blue. She drowsily looked around, noticing she was being carried by a small boy with a tail. "Where am I?"

"Oh, Hi Lunch," Caulifla greeted her now blue-haired friend. "Your blonde half just got done fighting this robot guy before he-"

"Ran out of batteries?" Lunch finished, with a smile and a much sweeter tone than her blonde counterpart. "I know. It was kind of reckless for her to try a Kamehameha, but oh well."

"Can you walk?" Gokū asked as he gently put Lunch down on her feet.

"I'll be fine," Lunch waved off. "But I won't be fighting for a little while. I'm exhausted."

"So, you won't be needing these feathers then?" Gokū asked, holding the feather Lunch gave him earlier.

"No, that's fine," Lunch confirmed. "I'd hate to ask this of you guys, but could you-"

"Don't worry, we got this," Caulifla finished with a thumbs up. "Question is, who should go up next?"

"This place kinda gives me a home field advantage," Gokū pondered, drawing out his Nyoibō and tossing it to Caulifla. "You wanna try, Caulifla?"

"Sure," Caulifla agreed, catching the red staff with ease and then looking at it with a puzzled expression. "Um, how do you work this thing?"

"Just tell it to extend or retract when you need it to and it'll do it," Gokū answered. "It also knows how far you want it to go. You just gotta say the words."

"Cool!" Caulifla grinned, spinning the polearm in one hand and catching it with the other.

Caulifla's demo of the Nyoibō was cut short when several kunai whistled by, prompting her to jump out of the way, and Gokū taking Lunch with her to avoid more harm.

"Hahahahaha!" a sinister laugh called out from the indoor forest. "Welcome to the 4th floor of Muscle Tower! Unfortunately, your progress stops here!"

"Heard that from the last guy," Caulifla retorted. "You must be the sneaky sort if you're throwing knives from afar."

"And that's the most you'll ever see of me!" The voice called out. Suddenly, three shuriken flew from the opposite direction aiming to skewer Caulifla, but she was quick to dodge the offending blades with ease. "Your tactics of evasion won't save you forever, if you can't even find me!"

Caulifla picked up a small rock that was nearby and threw it into the forest.

"OUCH!" The voice screamed as a man clad in a dark purple gi fell from the tree canopy, clutching his face. "I think you broke my no- I-I mean Lucky shot!"

"Lucky?" Caulifla questioned, tilting her head to the side. "You wouldn't shut up, so finding you was easy."

"LIAR!" The ninja shouted. "There's no way in hell you could've spotted me, even if you had excellent smell!"

"Want me to prove you wrong?" the girl offered with a smirk.

"Alright then!" The ninja grinned, taking out a smoke bomb and throwing it down at Caulifla's feet. A cloud of smoke quickly enveloped Caulifla, obscuring her vision and sense of smell, but her hearing was unhindered. When the smoke cleared, the ninja was nowhere to be seen. "Can you find me now?"

"You just gave yourself away," Caulifla deadpanned.

"No I didn't!" The ninja shouted back, hiding behind a large tree with a painted cloak over him to try and blend in. What came next was nothing short of shocking as the tree began to crack in two and fall over, leaving the man's back exposed. He turned around only to see a smug Caulifla dusting her hands off. The ninja jumped with surprise and a pathetic yelp, and tossed his cloak disguise up in the air

"You sure about that?" Caulifla grinned, savoring the opportunity to show up this bumbling idiot.

"Okay, you've got good hearing, I'll give you that," The ninja complimented to save face. "But with this next move you'll never find me! Close your eyes and count to 30!"

Caulifla smacked her face with her palm. "That's your technique? Hide and seek?" Caulifla groaned. "What are you, 5?"

"I could ask the same about you!" the ninja retorted angrily.

"I'm 12," Caulifla said flatly, removing her hand from her face with a sigh. "Tell you what? We'll play along and we'll have Lunch point you out. Her senses aren't as strong as mine or Gokū's, so you'll at least have an edge."

"I should be able to do that," Lunch agreed with a nod.

"In your dreams!" The purple-clad ninja chuckled maniacally. "Alright! No peeking!"

The trio all closed their eyes, with Caulifla counting to keep time. By the time she finished counting, all three opened their eyes, and sure enough, the ninja was out of sight. Lunch began to look around for any signs of the ninja. Walking over to the small pond, she noticed a faint whistling noise coming from the pond. Upon further inspection, there was a singular bamboo reed stuck out of the pond and air was flowing in and out of it.

"Hey guys, I think I found him!" The blue-haired woman called out.

"For a ninja, he's really easy to find," Gokū commented as he walked over to the pond.

"Hey Gokū, is there a kettle in that cabin?" Caulifla asked.

"Yep," the boy nodded. "You looking to make tea?"

"In a way," Caulifla answered with a smirk.

Two minutes passed before Caulifla came out of the cabin with a piping hot tea kettle in her hand - held by the handle so as to not burn herself - and poured it down the strange bamboo tube. Immediately the man jumped out of the water, screaming as he spat out the hot water that was poured down the bamboo reed.

"SERGEANT MAJOR PURPLE!" General White shouted over the loudspeaker. "Stop making yourself look like an absolute dumbass and finish these twerps off!"

"Of course, General!" the ninja, now known as Sergeant Major Purple, nodded. "I'll see it done!"

Purple drew a katana from the scabbard on his back. "Fun and games stop here, lass," the ninja stated with a chuckle. "Prepare to die."

"Hopefully you're better at fighting than stealth," Caulifla rolled her eyes, taking a stance with Gokū's Nyoibō in hand.

"HYAAAA!" Purple shouted as he jumped high into the air, his katana pointed straight down aiming to skewer Caulifla with gravity as the driving force. Caulifla looked up visibly unimpressed and held her chin with her free hand trying to think of a way to make this interesting. She came up with an idea and watched the trajectory of Purple's descent. She extended Nyoibō to be twice her height and fixed it into the ground before jumping out of the way, grinning the whole time. What happened next was nothing short of bizarre and amusing.

"_**AAAAAAAARGH!"**_

Gokū and Lunch watched this development from the sidelines. The former doubled over with laughter, while the latter couldn't help but stifle a chuckle. Purple was on his hands and feet, screaming absurdly as Nyoibō was now stuck in his lower backside. Caulifla offered to help, placing her foot on the man's hindquarters and pulled the Nyoibō out, causing Purple to yelp with surprise and pain.

"I know Blonde will think of several jokes for this," Lunch commented, still stifling her giggles.

"And here I thought Caulifla and I were the only ones with tails!" Gokū commented, still on his back from laughing.

"Definitely gonna give this a wash after we're done," Caulifla grinned, holding Nyoibō to her side. "You wanna keep going, or has that last maneuver changed the mighty purple shinobi's mind?"

"How dare you humiliate me like this!" Purple seethed with maddening fury while clenching his hindquarters. "Tonight I will dine on monkey soup!"

"I think Blonde heard that quote from somewhere," Lunch muttered while holding her chin. "Question is, where?"

Purple grabbed his katana and proceeded to make slices at Caulifla, only for each slice to be blocked and parried by the girl's borrowed Nyoibō. Eventually Caulifla turned to the offensive, pushing purple back by several steps, almost stumbling with some of them, until she brought down the pole to cut Purple's katana clean off its handle.

"Agh! Th-The Sasanishiki!" Purple shrieked in disbelief. "That was a legendary blade!"

"Legendary blade carried by a legendary moron," Caulifla added. "Guess Gokū's Nyoibō beats your butter knife in terms of legendary status. You done yet?"

"Alright, I'll confess that you are pretty good," Purple commented, holding his hand behind his back. "But how good are you bare-handed?"

"I'd like to believe I'm quite adept," Caulifla spoke, trying not too hard to boast while tossing the Nyoibō back to Gokū. "But it's not gonna be a true martial arts test if you're holding some trick behind your back."

Caulifla's form warped for a split second until she raised her hand to reveal a crescent blade in her hand.

"W-How did you?!" Purple stammered, as he brought his hand forward to see nothing was there. "How did you get my secret boomerang shuriken?!"

"I'm faster than you?" Caulifla deadpanned, spinning the blade on the tip of her finger. "Look, I'm getting kind of bored here. I'm almost tempted to tap out and let Gokū have a whack at you."

"Oh please!" Purple scoffed at the notion. "What's the palm tree head over there gonna do to my superior skills?"

"He's just as strong as I am," Caulifla answered with a smirk. "Also just as fast and as skilled."

Gokū sat where he was, nonchalantly waving at Purple with a silly grin. The ninja flinched and shook his head. "Your bluffs won't fool me!" he shouted. "Bring him over here! I have the perfect technique to deal with you two shrimps!"

"You sure?" Caulifla questioned, arching an eyebrow. "You haven't even scratched me, and I just got done pulling a pole out of your butt."

"S-Shut up and bring him over here!" Purple snapped, earning a shrug from Caulifla and Gokū.

"Guess I'm up now," Gokū muttered. "So, what's this technique of yours Purple?"

"Glad you asked!" Purple boasted, pointing his index fingers out from his fists, his left gripped by his right hand. "Behold! The Legendary Ninja Split!"

Immediately four more instances of Purple emerged from behind the original and began to encircle the two. "So, which one is the real me, eh?" One of the clones asked as they all smugly grinned at their surrounded targets.

"Definitely not a Zanzōken," Gokū noted, seeing each clone appear as solid as the original. "Cool move. Now to find out which one is real."

"Let's pick a couple and find out," Caulifla suggested, her back against his. "Should we hold off on using the Kamehameha?"

"Sounds good," Gokū agreed. "Don't wanna hurt this guy too bad."

The two picked their targets, occasionally taking turns with the odd 5th one, and began to batter down the group, seeing that they were as solid as the original, confirming it was not an illusion. All but one was conscious, and was trembling with fear and fatigue from the bruises he's sustained.

"H-How did you beat the Legendary Ninja Quintuplets?!" The original Purple stammered.

"So they were your brothers?" Gokū asked, seeing the man tremble before looking at the now unconscious Purple siblings. "What are their names? Grape? Violet? Lavender?"

"I think two of those names would be good for girls," Caulifla commented, folding her arms. "Regardless, whatcha got for us now?"

"GAH!" Purple shouted as he began to run for the stairwell. Gokū and Caulifla were quick to pursue, while Lunch decided to stay behind and enjoy the garden while she recovered. "You runts leave me no choice but to break out the Red Ribbon secret weapon!"

Purple laughed maniacally as he approached a large cage containing a large man with stitched scars on his face. His head was flat on top and he wore a basic black suit. Gokū and Caulifla skidded to a hault when they saw the man inside the cage.

"Say hello to your doom you runts!" Purple shouted as he threw the gate open.

The two collectively watched as the large man emerged from his cage. "Oh boy…"

* * *

Full Metal Jacket - Major Metallitron

Sergeant Major Purple - Ninja Murasaki

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, having Lunch fight Full Metal Jacket was too fun to pass up. And before you ask, yes, I apologetically went ham with the Terminator references, given who Toriyama initially based the guy on. Also, Lunch doing a Kamehameha is a thing, but it's not a flawless execution like we usually see when the technique is whipped out, so she's out of commission as a fighter. Also yes, I had Lunch say one of the famous TFS Vegeta Quotes for funsies._

_The latter part the purple shinobi, was not as fun to write, given how much of a steaming dumbass he was in the original. There's Gokū dumb, and then there's incompetently dumb, which this guy exemplifies. Basically the reason why I had Caulifla deliberately trolling the man instead of Gokū just being a silly goober that he is. That said, hope this was a fun read. :)_

_Also, just as a heads-up, don't expect another update next week, but the week after instead. I've been good at maintaining a schedule, but given how quickly I churned out this chapter as well as the previous, I want to take my time with the next one. Burn-out is a real thing, and I want to ease my pace for this next chapter._


	12. Chapter 12: The Tower's Fall

Gokū and Caulifla stood slack-jawed as the large man emerged from his cage with a blank expression on his face. Sergeant Major Purple was cackling madly as the man stood up with a hunched over posture.

"Behold! The Red Ribbon's latest Android model #8!" Purple laughed, rubbing his hands together in maniacal glee. "Courtesy of Dr. Gero's R&D division!"

"Who's Dr. Gero?" Gokū asked.

"Doesn't matter, since you two are dead already!" Purple shouted, a crazed look in his eyes. "Go kill them #8!"

Purple grinned as he pointed his hand towards the two children, who were still taking in the appearance of this android, resembling a monster from an old movie. The android stood still, not moving an inch before he spoke. "I don't wanna."

Purple did a double-take - no - a quadruple-take at the android before he spoke again. "T-That's really funny #8. I almost thought you said you didn't want to.," Purple nervously chuckled before getting stern and angry again. "Now go kill those brats, that's an order!"

"It's bad to kill. I don't like bad," Android 8 said flatly. "You did bad things. You locked up the mayor and other people and made them sad."

Gokū and Caulifla could only watch this development with surprise and confusion. This monster man that was a machine was completely different from Full Metal Jacket. He didn't want to cause harm or serve the Red Ribbon Army. Despite this, they kept their guard up in case Purple would try something, and currently he was shouting angrily like a petulant child.

"Have you forgotten who's in charge here?!" Purple shouted at the mechanical man. "You're going to disobey the Red Ribbon Army?! The same group responsible for creating you?!"

"I'm sorry, but you're bad," Android 8 responded flatly.

"Ooooohohohohooookay," Purple chuckled, his expression more deranged than before. "Well since you're being so uppity, let me remind you that you have a bomb inside of you, and All I'd have to do is press a button on this remote right here and you'll be blown to scrap! Now do as I say and destroy those brats!"

"If I have to be bad, I want to be blown up," The bulky android retorted. This left everyone inside the room, as well as General White on the top floor, speechless. Gokū was happy to see such defiance of this man created for destruction, and Caulifla shared the same sentiment. Purple was livid that his threats did not phase the gentle giant, and Android 8's expression was as blank as ever.

"Fine! Outta my way!" Purple ran behind the giant, carrying the remote in his hand. "General White! Do I have clearance to-"

"Yes! That waste of oil was a colossal failure on Gero's part anyways!" General White shouted over the loudspeaker. "Blast that oaf to kingdom come!"

"NO!" Gokū jumped forward in an attempt to grab the remote from Purple, but what happened next surprised everyone present.

BAM!

Slowly, metal bits fell from Purple's hands as the remote he was carrying crumbled to pieces. The crazed ninja looked at his hand to see the remote destroyed - yet his hand fortunately unscathed. Gokū stopped mid-charge to see someone beat him to the punch. Looking around, he saw a blue-haired Lunch in the garden below holding her blonde half's M1 Garand and looking down its sights, smoke steaming from the barrel.

"Huh, guess I'm a good shot even without Blonde's help!" Lunch said as she put down the rifle. "Sorry about the interruption guys!"

"Nah, it's fine!" Gokū cheerily waved it off. "Thanks for the assist Lunch!"

"That… traitorous little maverick!" Purple shouted, now fuming with anger. "I'll make you all pay for this! I'll make you-"

Purple's unhinged tirade was cut off by Caulifla punching the man square in the nose, launching him across the upper balcony of the floor and against the wall with an audible crash. The man slumped down seeing stars before he went unconscious, while Caulifla dusted her hands.

"That guy never learned to shut up, did he?" Caulifla sighed.

"Thank you very much," Android 8 bowed. "You are all good."

"You're welcome," Gokū bowed along with Caulifla and Lunch in the distance. "But if you don't like bad stuff that much, why not fight these bad guys? Stop them from being bad and all."

"I'm… scared to fight," Android 8 admitted with a frown.

"He really is a gentle giant, isn't he?" Caulifla noted with a warm smile. "You might be a failure in your creator's eyes, but if your creator… Dr. Gero was it? Was a jerk, then I think the way you turned out is okay."

"You gonna come along Lunch?" Gokū called down to the lower level.

"No thanks!" Lunch declined. "I'm gonna sneeze and let Blonde stand guard here in case some Red Ribbon guys come up the tower!"

"Sounds good," Gokū called back, turning to Caulifla. "That would sound weird out of context, wouldn't it?"

"So, what are your names?" Android 8 asked, now straightening his hunched posture. Being cramped inside a cage that size for him was not doing his back any favors.

"My name's Son Gokū, and this is Caulifla," Gokū introduced himself and his friend. "If you'll excuse us, we gotta find the mayor and others of Jingle Village."

"My name is Android #8," The android introduced himself. "I can guide you to the top floor. You saved me, so I'll help you. It's tough to navigate the floors up above."

"Okay," Gokū shrugged as they collectively climbed the stairwell upwards.

Upon reaching the top of the stairwell, they were presented with a myriad of bland corridors, many leading to dead ends, others leading into circles. It was, for all intents and purposes, a maze.

"Follow me," Android 8 instructed. "It's bad to get lost here."

"No kidding," Caulifla muttered as they trekked through the maze. "Could get lost for days in this place."

"Hey uh, Eighter," Gokū asked. "I'm just curious, but What do you know about your creator?"

"'Eighter?'" Android 8 looked back confused.

"Oh sorry. Android 8 is a bit of a mouthful, so I figured 'Eighter' would be a nice nickname."

Android 8 stood in silence for a few seconds, but broke into a warm smile. "I like that name." Eighter responded. "To answer your question, Dr. Gero was a mean man who made mean machines for the Red Ribbon Army. His wife and son don't seem as mean, but I've only seen them in the distance when I was brought online for testing."

"Do you know if they like working for the Red Ribbon Army?" Caulifla asked, now curious as well.

"They didn't look happy," Eighter answered. "They looked sad while Dr. Gero looked mean and said mean things."

"So, mad scientist with an unwilling wife and son caught in the mix," Caulifla mused, rubbing her chin. "Do you know what they look like?"

"Dr. Gero is an old man with long white hair and a big mustache," Android 8 answered, holding his index finger over his lip to exemplify his point. "His wife is a younger woman with long curly red hair, and their son is a tall muscly man with a red mohawk."

"Caulifla, why're you asking these questions?" Gokū asked his friend.

"Remember how Suno said these guys kidnapped the townsfolk to help look for the Dragon Ball around here?" Caulifla elaborated. "Maybe not all these Red Ribbon guys are working willingly. Some were just pulled into this because of one reason or another."

"I think I see what you're getting at," Gokū nodded, now rubbing his chin. "Not everyone in this group are bad guys. The guys we took out at least were total jerks."

"The Red Ribbon Army likes to recruit bad people," Eighter added, hearing the conversation. "They only capture good people if they don't have enough bad people. Sometimes good people are family with bad people like with Dr. Gero."

"Well, from the sounds of it, the bad guys still outnumber the good guys in their ranks," Gokū said. "We'll have to be careful if we run into these guys more."

"Agreed," Caulifla nodded. "I'd hate to knock someone's teeth out only to learn they didn't deserve it one bit."

"I'm glad you're doing more good when fighting bad," Eighter chimed in with a smile before gesturing to the corridor in front of them. "Here's the stairwell to the top. The mayor and captured villagers are up there."

"Along with the boss of this whole operation," Caulifla added, palming a fist to crack her knuckles.

* * *

"Android #8 was in that cage for a reason!" an old man on a sloped screen shouted, his mustache flaring with his breath. "He was due for processing before being deemed ready for combat!"

"I get that, but you can thank the periwinkle dumbass for resorting to him!" General White snapped back. "Those runts were dismantling our established defenses left right and center! How the hell were we supposed to know #8 needed a firmware update?!"

"It was labeled on the side of the cage!" The man shouted and sighed. "No matter. I will mark #8 as a failure and move on. I have plans for the next designs."

"You're still gonna try the whole cool punk twins thing, ain't ya?" General White deadpanned, earning an annoyed look from the man on screen.

"Silence!" the TV man snapped. "That is not your concern! You, however, will have to make due with what you have."

"I have nothing left in terms of defenses doc!" the general snapped, hands outstretched to emphasize his point. "Are there any functions to this tower you left out in the design brief?"

"Your floor has a trap door to the one below, where your men captured that creature."

"...Oh right!" General White snapped, now happy. "Alright, I'll call back when this is resolved."

"You better," The old man on the screen sneered. "Our forces are spread thin enough as it is, and I cannot risk sending more models prematurely lest they be failures."

The General flipped a switch on his console and the screen faded to black. The man leaned against the terminal with a smug grin on his face, placing his hand right where he needed it for this one moment, looking at the door. Sure enough, the door flew open as the monkey boy kicked it in with ease.

"Where's the Jingle Village people?!" Gokū demanded, drawing out his Nyoibō. "We're here to get 'em out!"

"Congrats on making it all the way to the top," General White applauded with condescension. "Not everyone can scale this fortress the way you jokers and the renegade bucket of bolts did there."

"General White, stop being bad," Eighter pleaded.

"Oh so the traitor finally decides to speak up?" The general smirked. "Well I'm sorry to see you all in such high spirits, but I kinda have to…"

General White pushed the button causing the floor underneath the intruding trio to open underneath them. The sweater-wearing man smirked with a chuckle.

"...Bring 'em down a bit."

The trio fell into a large room below. Gokū and Caulifla were quick to right themselves and land neatly. This neatness was interrupted when Eighter landed right on top of them. Panicking, the android got up off the two children. "Are you two okay?!" Eighter cried out.

"Yeah, we're fine," Caulifla groaned as she and Gokū got up. "We've had heavier things land on us."

"Where are we?" Gokū inquired, looking at the empty brick room, only windows and the trap door above being the only distinctions.

"You guys are in the super secret 5th floor!" General White boasted from above. "If you lot want to leave, then do as I say! Give me the Dragon Balls and your radar for tracking them!"

"Over our dead bodies!" Gokū shouted while Caulifla stuck out her tongue and pulled an eyelid at the General.

"Figured as such," General White chuckled. Slowly the trap door closed up before the loudspeaker in the room came to life with the man's voice. "While you get comfy down there, I'm gonna send a little friend of mine to tear you apart!"

"That doesn't sound good," Caulifla muttered.

"Do you plan to do bad things with the Dragon Balls?" Eighter asked with worry.

"No way!" Gokū denied. "I only want one of them, the one my Grandpa left me before he died, and Caulifla is just curious!"

"He's right," Caulifla nodded. "If we wanted to do anything with them, we'd want to do something good."

"That is good to hear," Eighter sighed with a smile.

"Hey Gokū, since I fought the last guy, you wanna go up next?" Caulifla asked her friend.

"Sure," Gokū agreed with a shrug.

"Aw, and here I thought you were gonna pick who goes first with Rock Paper Scissors!" General White laughed. "Well since you're so eager to go up kid, Behold the Jiggler!"

"Jiggler?" Gokū repeated, weirded out. "What is that?"

Slowly, one of the walls of the room began to rise, and from behind it was this massive pink monster. Morbidly obese would be a gross understatement to describe whatever it was, as its feet were barely visible from underneath all the warty flab that made up this creature's being. It possessed two antennae on its head and a sinister grin showing off several rows of teeth.

"This answer your question, kid?" General White called out over the loudspeaker, his smirk almost audible.

Gokū jumped towards the warty beast with a fist outstretched aiming for its face. The Jiggler made no efforts to dodge and took the full force of Gokū's punch causing its face to cave in.

...Only to rebound back and bounce Gokū away.

"Hahaha! The name isn't just for looks you know!" General White boasted.

"Okay, so any physical attacks of mine will just bounce off," Gokū mulled as he took a defensive stance. "How about, Kaaaa… Meeee…"

Gokū held his hands to his side, pooling his latent ki to them.

"Haaaa… Meeee… HA!"

The ki blast launched forward aimed directly at the Jiggler's massive stomach, but the blast bounced back with the same effect as Gokū's punch. Before the attack could literally backfire, the boy dissipated the flow of ki from his hands to dispel the Kamehameha.

"Sheesh, this guy is tough!" Gokū sighed, seeing that his technique failed to do anything. The Jiggler's antennae began to wiggle as a lightning bolt conducted between them and zapped Gokū. "Ouch!"

"Should we help him?" Eighter asked Caulifla.

"Nah, he's fought worse than this," Caulifla waved off. "Still, this thing isn't taking damage."

Gokū began to attack the monster from different angles to find a chink in the gelatenous armor, but none could be found. Every attack dealt to the monster simply bounced back to its sender. The beast's tongue then stretched to envelop the boy and roll back into its mouth. Eighter stammered with worry while Caulifla was patiently waiting. Seconds passed before Gokū pried the Jiggler's jaws open and jumped out of its mouth. Suffice to say that Gokū was not happy with what had just happened to him. "I don't know what you've been eating, but you need a breath mint regardless!" Gokū jeered, his nose cringing with irritation. "Nothing about this guy is solid! Wait…"

Gokū began putting the pieces of this puzzle together until the lightbulb went off in his head. Quickly he pulled out a storage capsule and clicked it open, revealing a suit case emerging from its respective explosion. Gokū took the coat he stored away and put it on, all while avoiding the Jiggler's lightning antennae.

"Put your coat on Caulifla!" Gokū cried out as he tossed the insulated clothing to her. She complied as Gokū infused his fist with ki and threw a punch to the wall. The masonry was strong enough to withstand mortar shells, but those paled in comparison to the punch Gokū just performed, and the wall came crumbling down letting the cold of the outdoors into the chamber. The Jiggler began to panic and its movements began to slow until it was completely frozen over, icicles forming on its stubby limbs and antennae. "Let's see you rebound after this!"

Gokū let loose another punch to the face, just like the one that initially failed, only this time there was no bounce back. The Jiggler's face began to crack upon impact and fissures spread out and ruptured its now frozen body until the creature in its entirety crumbled into disgusting ice cubes.

"Nice one!" Caulifla cheered. "And good call breaking out the coats before busting down that wall."

"Oh crap!" Gokū cried out. "I forgot to get you a coat Eighter!"

"It's fine," Eighter waved it off, seemingly unfazed. "If the cold bothered me, I still have this suit to wear."

"Okay," Gokū sighed with relief. The boy pulled out his Nyoibō and fixed it into the ground and held on. "Extend!"

Gokū was launched upwards by the force of Nyoibō's extension and crashed through the roof with no trouble. Caulifla jumped up after him, forming a ceiling hole of her own and landing neatly a few feet away. General White was at his control console visibly furious that these upstart twerps not only destroyed his favorite creature, but put more holes into his precious fortress.

"You little shits!" General White cursed, grabbing a revolver and firing. "I've had it up to here with you!"

The bullets that didn't bounce harmlessly off Gokū's skin were caught by Caulifla's hands and tossed aside harmlessly, leaving the sweater-wearing general absolutely dumbstruck.

"What's the matter?" Caulifla grinned. "Never seen someone tank bullets like this?"

Gokū had finished pulling Eighter up to the top floor and dusted off where the revolver bullets had hit his skin. "If you're done, how about showing us where you're keeping the villagers?"

"I'm not so easy to push over, kid," General White stated as he took off his sweater, leaving a black muscle shirt over his torso. Physically he was well-built aside from a slight beer belly. "I'll take you runts down myself."

General White approached the small duo, with Eighter backing up. He launched what looked like two powerful punches into each of their guts and grinned when he had hit home, but that grin faded into shock when he saw the two were completely unfazed.

"Are you for real right now?" Caulifla questioned, pushing the man's fist away from her and then lightly tapping the man's shin, causing the large man to yelp with pain. "Your periwinkle ninja put up a better fight than that."

Gokū then proceeded to uppercut the man, sending him upwards and bouncing off the ceiling to the space behind his command console. The proud general was now trembling with fear as he was clearly outclassed, but something caught his eye - a prototype hyper-pistol. Discretely he put the gun into his back pocket and stood up, hands in the air. "I surrender!" The general cried out with a blank expression. "I will hand over the mayor and villagers."

Caulifla grew suspicious at this sudden shift in demeanor, and Gokū's thoughts reflected the sentiment. The two nodded and kept a watchful eye on the general.

'_This guy has something fishy up his sleeve, I know it,'_ Gokū thought as they followed the man to a door on the other side of the room. General White pressed a button to the side and the door opened, revealing uncomfortable living quarters where the mayor of Jingle Village and several men from the same settlement were staying. Everyone inside looked up from their misery to see General White in the doorway.

"Muscle Tower has fallen and I'm to relinquish my prisoners," General White announced in a disturbingly placid tone. "Follow these two."

"We're… free to go?" The elderly mayor hesitantly spoke as he stood from his spot. Gokū and Caulifla nodded to confirm as the rest of the prisoners went to grab their coats. The proceedings ground to a halt when the General swiftly grabbed the mayor by the neck and pulled out his hyper pistol.

"Nobody move, or I'm popping the mayor's gray matter against the wall!" General White shouted, returning to his former demeanor, albeit with more insanity. "And don't think you'll take this gun's ammo like that cheap revolver! This is an experimental hyper pistol!"

"I knew it!" Gokū and Caulifla cried out in unison, while Eighter was watching this unfold with unease.

"General White!" Eighter cried out. "Please stop doing bad things!"

"Like I'm gonna listen to a broken down traitor like you!" the hostage-holding general sneered. "You'll get yours. So what're you two runts gonna do now?!"

"How many rounds does that pistol have?" Gokū inquired, his expression stern. Quickly, he darted his eyes for Caulifla to follow. She gave a subtle nod when she saw this.

"Two shots," General White answered. "Why? You got some death wish or something?"

"All I needed to hear," Gokū said flatly, outstretching his hands. Eighter and the hostage mayor were shocked at this development. The general took this invitation to open fire and aimed directly for the boy's chest. He pulled the trigger, and the bullet hit its mark, knocking Gokū onto his back. Everyone except for Caulifla gasped. The girl vanished and reappeared right next to General White's arm, kicking the gun out of the man's hand as well as causing him to lose his arm bar around the Mayor's neck.

"Son Gokū!" Eighter cried out seeing his friend knocked down. "The android's normally calm demeanor began to shift into one of fury as his eyes whited out and the mechanical man began to snarl. "You hurt him!"

"Oh crap…" General White meekly muttered before receiving a punch that sent him flying out through the wall and several kilometers outside. After the Red Ribbon general was out of sight, Eighter calmed down and ran over to the collapse Gokū, whom was being checked on by Caulifla.

"He's alright," Caulifla nodded, earning a sigh of relief from Eighter. "Just a bruise to the chest."

Gokū pushed himself upright and gave a thumbs up after a small cough. "That was risky, but it worked."

"You're okay!" Eighter cheered. "I thought that gun would have killed you!"

"Had it been a year ago, it might have done so," Caulifla added. "But we're both tougher since then."

"That was one heck of a punch by the way," Gokū commented, earning an embarrassed look from Eighter. "I don't think I'd be able to pull one off like that even if I wasn't holding back."

"Well, you were hurt," Eighter muttered.

"Excuse me, but thank you very much!" The mayor interrupted, unable to contain his excitement. "You've saved all of us from those evil men!"

"Don't sweat it," Gokū waved off. "Let's go get Lunch and head back to Jingle Village."

"But, we have better food at-"

"He meant our friend Lunch," Caulifla interrupted for correction. "She was helping the residents deal with these guys before we showed up."

The group had a hearty laugh as they made their descent down the tower and back to Jingle Village.

* * *

_**Suno's House, 2 hours later**_

Suno's family, the mayor, and Android 8 were all watching in disbelief as Gokū and Caulifla wolfed an entire buffet's worth of food - most of which they brought along for they didn't wish to impose too much upon the poor villagers. Lunch was unfazed by all of this given how she spent 8 months with the duo and watched the horror unfold both in her blue and blonde state. It wasn't long before the mealtime slaughter ended and the two were happily rubbing their bellies.

"I-I now see why you brought your own food," Suno's mother observed, a nervous bead of sweat rolling down her face.

"So Lunch," Gokū spoke up, turning to the presently blue-haired woman. "What're you gonna do now that Muscle Tower is cleared out?"

"I'm not sure," Lunch shrugged. "I mean, I could tag along with you guys to help search for those Dragon Balls if you're okay with that."

"Y'know, we never found that Dragon Ball thingy those goons were after," Suno's father - a man with short black hair and a thick mustache - said. "I was thinking it was a wild goose chase."

"I found it," Eighter spoke up, hesitantly pulling out a Dragon Ball with two stars floating inside. "I found it on a walk, but kept it hidden when I heard General White say he would kill the villagers after they found it."

"By George!" The mayor exclaimed. "You sir have a heart of gold! You are most welcome to stay with us here in Jingle Village!"

"Are you sure?" Eighter asked with hesitation. "I'm an android."

"What you are doesn't matter my friend!" The mayor iterated with glee. "You and your friends saved us all!"

"I… I don't know what to say," Eighter sobbed with tears of joy.

"Since you guys have nowhere to stay for the time being, you wanna stay the night here?" Suno offered to the duo.

"If you're offering, sure," Caulifla agreed, with Gokū nodding along.

* * *

_**Suno's room, Later that night**_

Suno sat in her pajamas staring at the two star Dragon Ball with wonder in her eyes. "It's so pretty," she muttered, turning the orb to see the two stars remain in the same spot.

"My thoughts exactly," Caulifla agreed, also in pajamas. "I'd offer to let you keep it, but if those Red Ribbon goons are after them-"

"No, I get it," Suno cut off. "I'd rather be safe from those guys than have a shiny jewel."

"Blonde would certainly want to run off with it," A blue-haired Lunch commented as she walked back in after brushing her teeth. "She has a thing for shiny things."

"Sounds like her," Caulifla noted, earning a small chuckle from Lunch. Their reverie was interrupted when a knocking was heard at their door.

"Caulifla, we have a problem," Gokū's muffled voice quietly called from behind the door. The spiky-haired girl got up and opened the door to see Gokū in his pajamas and holding a blank dragon radar.

"What is it?" Caulifla asked. "Is it something with the dragon radar?"

"Yeah," the boy confirmed. "The screen's been blank since we got here, and Eighter couldn't figure it out. He's good with machines, but apparently not something like this."

"Whoever made the device is a genius," Eighter muttered as he waddled down the hall.

Caulifla thought for a second and then spoke up. "Bulma said she built it, right?" She asked. "Maybe she can repair it."

"You're right!" Gokū beamed with renewed excitement. "And she said she lives in West City, so that's where we should check!"

"How do you plan to get there?" Eighter asked.

"If Kinto'un were still around, we could travel that way," Gokū mentioned with a twinge of hurt in his voice. "Otherwise, we could go by foot."

"Darn," Suno muttered. "If only we had some vehicle we could lend you."

"Had I known about Kinto'un I would've saved a truck or two before demolishing Muscle Tower," Lunch said, now feeling sad her foresight did not allow it.

"Well, we should rest up if we're gonna be walking," Caulifla suggested. "Well, g'night everyone."

* * *

_**The next day**_

Gokū, Caulifla and the blonde-haired Lunch were surrounded by the Jingle Village residents stating their plans of traveling to West City to repair the Dragon Radar. When the subject of walking their was brought up, the topic of Kinto'un soon arose once again, catching one of the elders of the village by surprise.

"Did you say Kinto'un?" The mustachioed man walked forward. "You can ride one of those?"

"Me, Caulifla, and Lunch when she's in her blue state," Gokū clarified. "We ran into this guy who blew it up."

"Nonsense!" The elder laughed, leaving the trio confused. "An explosion might startle a Kinto'un, but by no means destroy it. I remember there were quite a few zipping around this region when I was a wee lad."

Caulifla beamed with excitement at this while Gokū felt a tad embarrassed that he hadn't tried calling for Kinto'un since that incident. "I thought it was toast after that," Gokū nervously chuckled, scratching the back of his head. "KINTO'UN!"

Gokū's voice echoed across the snowy expanse. Seconds turned to minutes before a welcome whirring caught their attention, along with the all too familiar yellow contrail. Kinto'un was indeed still here, and the two children cheered and jumped with joy. When the fluffy cloud parked itself in front of the trio, Gokū went in to give it a big hug, followed by Caulifla.

"I missed you buddy!" Gokū cried out, happy his cloud was back. "I thought you were gone!"

While the two were hugging the cloud, Gokū's hug slowly moved from Kinto'un to Caulifla. The two were immediately surprised when they realized what happened and their faces tinted red for a second before they both backed off and nervously cleared their throats. Lunch saw this and chuckled light-heartedly. "It ain't a secret you two like each other," Lunch said with a smile. "No need to be so timid when you guys hug."

"Speaking of timid," Caulifla said, changing the subject. "Is Kinto'un solid for you in that state?"

"Dunno," Lunch shrugged. She jumped up preparing to land on the cloud, but her feet met snow instead of yellow fluff. "Guess not."

Lunch pulled out a feather and tickled her nose with it. Eventually she sneezed and was now in her blue state. She jumped up again and instead of landing on snow, she stood on cloud as Kinto'un accepted her blue state.

"Incredible," The mayor muttered, seeing this development. "I never thought I'd see another Kinto'un, let alone someone who can ride one."

"Let alone three people who can ride one," The village elder added, seeing Gokū and Caulifla board the somersault cloud with no trouble. "Good luck out there friends!"

"Be careful out there!" Suno called out.

"Thanks everyone!" Gokū called out as he and Caulifla waved. "Kinto'un, to West City!"

Immediately the somersault cloud darted into the sky carrying the trio of adventurers to their destination, all while the residents of Jingle Village watched their saviors and newest friends continue on with their journey.

* * *

Jiggler - Buyon

* * *

**A/N:** _Not much to say about this one. Muscle Tower be done and the story continues onward. The fact that I'm introducing Dr. Gero so early on in the timeline is just something I want to set up for fun. Will Android 16's template live, as well as the template for Android 21? Who knows! That's Chaos Theory for ya! (I will guarantee any plans for 21's design will NOT have a pastry fetish because holy shit...)_

_In all seriousness, I have some ideas in mind, and I have leeway to work with this early on. Hope this was a fun read. Leave reviews if you liked it. :)_

_And to those coming from the previous chapter's A/N wondering why I'm uploading a new chapter now instead of next week? This one was fairly easy to write. I don't really have anything else to add besides that._


	13. Chapter 13: Awkward Trip to Capsule Corp

_**80 kilometers from West City**_

Gokū, Caulifla, and Lunch sat atop the whirring Kinto'un on their way to West City. The group sat comfortably atop the cloud in their usual clothes - Lunch wearing camo-patterned pants instead of the thigh high denim shorts from before as well as a green tank top. The two children were going over proper city rules with Lunch - who in her blue state wanted to make clear for their sakes.

"Makes sense to me," Gokū nodded, after hearing Lunch's small lecture on pedestrian traffic safety. "What if there are no crosswalks nearby?"

"Well, then you have to cross the road where you are," Lunch answered. "Just be mindful of traffic when you do. If not, it's considered jaywalking, which is illegal."

"Basically don't walk into the road willy nilly and watch where you're going," Caulifla elaborated in Layman's terms. She was familiar with traffic rules, but not to the same extent as Lunch.

"Well, if traffic is too dense, couldn't we just jump over?" Gokū suggested, forgetting that the average person wasn't a powerhouse like he or his friends.

"Maybe," Caulifla thought, holding her chin. "That might draw a lot of unwanted attention though."

"Well, this is the place," Lunch pointed down to see the outskirts of the city. "We should… Oh wait."

"What is it?" Gokū asked the blue-haired woman.

"I just remembered Blonde has a bit of a criminal record in this city," Lunch said with embarrassment. "I'm gonna go visit the courthouse while you go check in with Bulma."

"The courthouse?" Caulifla asked. As knowledgeable as she was, she was not familiar with the inner workings of the law and law enforcement.

"Turn myself in and see if I can clean up Blonde's record," Lunch elaborated with a frown. "It might be a while though."

"And if you sneeze?" Gokū asked, now worried about his friend.

"Blonde from what I've heard has been more well-behaved as of late," Lunch elaborated. "I guess knowing what happens when either one of us is out has its benefits."

"Uh, you might not reach the courthouse first," Caulifla pointed down to the streets below to see several stationary police sirens blinking red and blue.

"Should we go down there?" Gokū asked.

"Might as well," Lunch shrugged. "It'll make life easier for all of us."

Kinto'un zoomed down towards the gathering of police cars, only to hear gunfire not aimed at them, but from a nearby building as window glass shattered. Screams from inside the building could be heard as well as angry threats amidst the gunfire. Lunch's expression hardened as she pulled out a small feather to tickle her nose. With a loud 'Achoo!,' Lunch's hair turned blonde and her blue eyes turned green. Right before the sneeze, Lunch jumped down before Kinto'un could shunt her down and she landed neatly on the railings of the broken window, causing several policemen and women to panic as they had recognized the woman.

"Lunch is back!" cried a male officer from one of the squad cars. "As if this situation couldn't get any-"

Before the officer could finish, a large rotund man with a ski mask over his face flew out the window, handgun crushed as if it were dough, and landed right into the back seat of one of the squad cars.

"No one's injured!" The blonde Lunch shouted from the window as she leapt down to ground level. "The goon in your car will be out for about 2 hours. And before you start pointing your iron sights at me, I'll come quietly."

Lunch held out her wrists after tossing her capsule case aside, leaving several officers absolutely confused for several reasons. This woman who normally delights in anarchy and mischief just dealt with a dangerous hostage situation. Not only that, she did it in less than 5 seconds! She jumped as if gravity meant nothing to her and knocked a large criminal out cold in that time frame.

"Are you just gonna stand there or are you gonna cuff me?!" The blonde snapped.

"Uh," The male officer muttered. "W-We'll take you to the station to sort this out."

"As long as I'm not in the same car as Mr. Sleepy Ski Mask over there, that's fine," Lunch sighed, earning even more confusion from the police officers. Lunch being cooperative?

"We'll check up on you later," Gokū finally spoke up as he and Caulifla leapt down from Kinto'un.

"You two know her?!" A female police officer cried out.

"Yeah," Caulifla nodded. "She helped us take down a Red Ribbon base far up north. Um, do you happen to know where someone named Bulma lives?"

"I-uh, Y-You three took down a Red Ribbon base?" The male officer stammered in utter disbelief. "Those guys are notoriously dangerous!"

"With ease," Lunch confirmed, now in handcuffs. "Hopefully that helps my case."

"Uh, okay," the officer nervously shrugged. "I can do a quick inquiry in the database. Not something we do for the public, but since Lunch just cleaned up this hostage situation, I'll make an exception. Describe this Bulma."

"Lavendar hair, blue eyes," Gokū listed off on his fingers.

"This her?" The officer asked as he held up the screen on his PDA.

"That's her!" Gokū confirmed with a smile.

"Bulma, the daughter of the founder of Capsule corporation?!" The officer shouted with realization. "You two are friends with her?!"

"Yep," Caulifla nodded. "Does that PDA show her address?"

"I'm afraid I can't disclose that," The offer answered. "I'm also needed here. Sorry."

"It's alright," Gokū waved off. "Also, sorry for letting Lunch charge in on your business."

"No, it's fine!" The officer happily waved off. "Still off-putting to have a notorious criminal clean up that situation, but I hope to high heaven she's been straightened out."

"Right. Well, see you folks around."

The two walked off trying to navigate the city. Lunch's traffic lectures certainly came in handy as they looked for Bulma's residence. A good place to start looking would be Capsule Corporation, since the officer said her father founded the company. The two wandered around for a bit looking for any sign of a building for Capsule Corporation. Unable to find this place on their own, they eventually resorted to asking for directions, which immediately sped up the process. Down that road, hang a left at this street, three blocks down. The two were soon at the front gate of a large dome-like building nestled in a well-to-do residential district, with an arched sign over the gate spelling 'Capsule Corporation' with an image of their trademark Hoi-Poi capsule on the side.

"Hard to believe Bulma's dad invented these capsules," Gokū said, looking at the large dome. "Makes me appreciate them more in a way."

"Well, let's see if Bulma's home," Caulifla added, walking over to the front door intercom and pressing the button. "Hello? Is Bulma home?"

"Miss Bulma is currently at school," The woman over the speaker answered.

"Darn," Caulifla muttered. "And it's about midday too. Might be a while before she gets back."

"Well if it's midday, wanna go get something to eat?" Gokū suggested.

Before Caulifla could say 'yes' to Gokū's wonderful plan, the sound of a revving hoverbike approaching from the sky caught their attention. As it got closer, it became apparent by the light purple hair that it was Bulma. She eventually skidded to a stop - at least what constitutes skidding for a vehicle without wheels - and removed her goggles, only to be greeted by two friends of hers.

"Hi Bulma!" Gokū cheerily waved. "I thought you were at school!"

"Son Gokū!" Bulma exclaimed with joy. "So you found your way all the way here eh? To answer your question, I WAS at school, but I already had my classwork done months ago, and I had to be there just for attendance. Boredom almost killed me, so I cut out early."

"Wait," Caulifla said. "You finished your entire year of school months ago?!"

"Well, being the genius that I am, school isn't too tough," Bulma boastfully answered, tapping her noggin with her index finger. "So, what brings you two here?"

"This," Gokū stated, pulling out the blank Dragon Radar. "I think it broke while I was fighting. Think you could repair it?"

"Sure," Bulma agreed. "Follow me. I can even give you a tour of the place if you're interested."

"Sounds nice," Gokū shrugged. "Lunch said it might be a while before she sorts her record out."

"Lunch?" Bulma repeated, looking confused. "Who's that?"

"A friend of ours," Caulifla answered. "An unfortunate victim of Rōshi's… Rōshiness so that we could train with him."

"She has two personalities which switch every time she sneezes," Gokū elaborated. "Her blonde personality was a big troublemaker and her blue personality is more peaceful, but she's learning to use her quirk for good."

"Huh," Bulma nodded, still confused. She heard of a crazy woman during one of the car chase bulletins her father had been watching one day, but snapped herself out of the thought. "Well, lemme show you inside."

Bulma swiped a key card onto the slot next to the intercom of the gate, and the bars parted in response. The group walked into the courtyard and eventually the front door of the large dome building. Bulma swiped the key card again and the doors opened to reveal a large lobby with several robot attendants milling about and a human female desk clerk at the far end.

"Good day Miss Bulma," The clerk answered formally. "Did school let out early today?"

"Nah," Bulma shook her head. "The teachers knew I finished their classes forever ago, so they let me leave early."

"I'll be sure to contact them for the truth then," The clerk smirked before her attention was diverted to the new faces of the building. "Who are these two children?"

"Gokū and Caulifla," Bulma introduced as the two bowed politely. "Gokū's a good friend of mine and Caulifla is a good friend of his. Is Dad around?"

"He's in the garden," The clerk answered.

Bulma nodded and walked to one of the many doors of the building, with Gokū and Caulifla following behind.

"So," Bulma started as they walked. "How've you guys been doing these past 4 months?"

"We made progress with the Oozaru training," Gokū answered, earning a surprised look from Bulma. "I finally got myself under control this past full moon. It's still fuzzy, but I came back in that state."

"Wow!" Bulma exclaimed. "I didn't think it was possible. What about Caulifla?"

"I think I'll be able to get myself under control over the next full moon," Caulifla said. "My rampages are nowhere near as extreme as before."

"You're doing this training out of the way, yeah?" Bulma asked with a twinge of worry in her voice.

"Oh yeah!" Gokū answered immediately. "We picked the Gizzard Wastelands for it. Plenty of cover for one of us to bring down the other."

"And before you ask, only one of us transforms at a time," Caulifla elaborated. "We take turns to decide who transforms, and whoever is the designated Oozaru wrangler has to wear sunglasses."

"Sunglasses?" Bulma blinked.

"I figured we transformed because a full moon gives enough moonlight," Gokū clarified. "So I thought that maybe sunglasses would be the best way to take care of that. Turns out I was right."

"With critical thinking like that, I might have competition for the title of genius of the group," Bulma joked with a chuckle. "Ah, there's the garden."

The trio approached a large door with the sign in question. Bulma took a step forward and the doors parted, revealing an immense terrarium with several cats, dogs, and small dinosaurs running about - some of which were airborne.

"Whoa," The two children gaped in amazement.

"Oh please, it's nothing special," Bulma waved off. "Mom and Dad have a habit for picking up stray animals."

"I heard my name!" A male voice called out from inside the garden. From behind a large hedge came a short man with lavender hair and mustache riding a hover scooter. The man was wearing a lab coat and was smoking a cigarette. A small black cat was hanging from the man's shoulder. "Oh, hi Bulma!"

"Hi Dad!" Bulma responded with a wave before turning to the duo that followed her. "Gokū, Caulifla, this is my dad, Dr. Briefs."

"Hello," Gokū and Caulifla simultaneously greeted.

"Well now. I never figured you for a matchmaker, Bulma," Dr. Briefs playfully joked. Their faces began to turn red while Bulma sighed.

"W-We're not dating!" Caulifla snapped. "Why does everyone think that?!"

"Sheesh, I was only kidding," Dr. Briefs sighed before turning to Bulma. "So I take it the teachers caved and let you leave early?"

"Yep," Bulma nodded. "We'll be upstairs if you need us."

"Gonna give these two a room are ya?~"

"WILL YOU PLEASE STOP?!" Caulifla shouted.

"Seriously dad, knock it off," Bulma said, pinching the bridge of her nose.

* * *

_**Bulma's Workshop**_

As the genius heiress to Capsule Corporation, Bulma has an insatiable knack for tinkering and improving on mechanical designs and specifications. All around her workshop are a myriad of projects that are either incomplete, abandoned, or yet to be started. Despite how haphazard these projects appeared to be arranged, her tool shelves were neatly organized. Bulma sat at one of her desks with an electric screwdriver kit repairing the Dragon Radar while she and her two friends were talking.

"Seriously, ever since I dumped Yamcha, my parents have been like this non-stop," Bulma groaned. "Sorry you guys got caught up in that nonsense."

"Well, it makes more sense when you put it that way," Caulifla nodded. "Why'd you break up with Yamcha though?"

"Oh where do I even begin?" Bulma sighed, leaning back. "Flirting with other girls, ogling at the more curvaceous ones as they walk by, the guy used to be deathly afraid of women. Now he's magnetized to anyone who looks decent!"

"Solved one problem, but created another," Caulifla muttered.

"So, anyways, what were you two fighting to cause the radar to get so banged up?" Bulma asked as she finalized repairs on the device.

"Some guys working for this group called the Red Ribbon Army," Gokū answered flatly.

"W-Wawawawait a second!" Bulma stammered in panic. "T-The Red Ribbon Army?! As in _the_ most ruthless and cold-blooded military organization to ever walk the earth?!"

"I'm guessing they're that bad if you're freaking out," Caulifla noted. "Gokū, Lunch and I just got done clearing out one of their bases far up north."

"Y-You guys… took down a… a Red Ribbon Army… base?" Bulma struggled to piece the words together in disbelief. "I knew you were strong, but that's a whole new level of insane!"

"Lunch had a tough time despite Rōshi's training under her belt," Gokū clarified. "But then again, she only had less than 4 months of the regimen."

"Let me guess: Rōshi's training involved excessive sexual harassment," Bulma deadpanned.

"Eh, somewhat," Caulifla retorted with a shrug. "Muten Rōshi from what I've heard offered the same regimen Gokū and I ran under in exchange for help in calming down his… Rōshiness. I don't dare ask how that went."

"Basically, he took inspiration from how I defeated Jackie Chun," Gokū elaborated, winking at Caulifla. "As for how successful his training went? We don't know yet."

"Jackie chu- Oh right!" Bulma exclaimed with realization. "That old guy you duped while he was zapping you. Aaaaaand, Done!"

Bulma spun around in her chair and clicked the repaired Dragon Radar to life, showing the two relics that Gokū and Caulifla were carrying as well as another some distance away.

"Wow! Thanks Bulma!" Gokū exclaimed with glee.

"No problem," Bulma said. "You know, since I'm pretty much done with school and I've been bored as of late, how's about I come along and help out?"

"Thanks, but what about the Red Ribbon Army?" Caulifla retorted. "You might end up getting in the way."

"Plus you can't ride Kinto'un," Gokū added. "Will we have to carry you for the whole trip?"

"Okay, first off, rude!" Bulma snapped. "If I'd been helping you search, you'd have found Sushinchu weeks ago! Second, I have capsules handy for in case those goons show up. And thirdly, take a look at this!"

Bulma put on what looked like a wristwatch, but there was no time on it, just a single button. She gave it a click, and immediately she began to shrink down to the size of a mouse.

"Bulma's latest invention: The Micro band!" The tiny Bulma squeaked out as the two looked down in awe. Carrying me shouldn't be a problem, now should it?"

Before either Gokū or Caulifla could comment, a heeled shoe landed on the tiny teenager, fortunately not crushing her. The two looked up to see an older woman with blonde curly hair and her eyes closed holding a platter with 3 cups on top.

"Oh my!" The tall lady exclaimed. "You must be Son Gokū and Caulifla. So nice to meet you. I'm Bulma's mom, Panchy!"

The two politely bowed in response while Bulma pressed the button on her micro band, causing her to revert to normal size and startle Panchy. Suffice to say Bulma was livid.

"What happened to the phrase 'watch where you step?!'" Bulma shouted, rubbing her back.

"Well, you should be careful where you shrink dear," Panchy retorted in a jovial manner.

"YOU should knock before you decide to waltz into my workshop!" Bulma snapped back.

"Oh goodness me, where are my manners?" Panchy said. "Gokū, Caulifla, would you two like some saké?"

"ARE YOU INSANE?!" Bulma screamed, even more angry than before. "You can't serve alcohol to children!"

"Must you be so rebellious, dear?" Panchy asked nonchalantly, causing Bulma to growl with frustration.

"Thanks for the offer, but we have to get going," Caulifla spoke up, wanting to cease this awkward interaction.

"Oh I understand," Panchy nodded. "I shouldn't get in the way of my daughter's friends and their relationship.~"

Panchy had just hit the date button, and shouldn't have done that.

"WE'RE NOT DATING!" Caulifla shouted, her face resuming tomato status.

"Uh, we'll be taking our leave now, thanks," Gokū interrupted, now being the only level-headed person in the room.

"Where are you folks going?" Panchy asked.

"To find the Dragon Balls," Bulma answered, pinching the bridge of her nose. "And to also get out of the house and away from my deranged parents."

"That's fine dear," Panchy nodded. "Though you might want to bring Yamcha before he's stolen from you.~"

"WILL YOU SHUT UP?!" Bulma snarled, a vein popping on her forehead. "I'm better off without that deadbeat anyways!"

Bulma grabbed a vest hanging off one of her abandoned projects and stormed out of her workshop, with Gokū and Caulifla following close behind, eager to leave that awkward situation behind them. The group trotted down a long corridor lined with several doors labeled by numbers and various titles such as 'Biomechanical Research 06," amongst others. It's a wonder Bulma didn't get lost in her own home. She eventually turned to a door where Dr. Briefs was working on soldering a circuit board at his workbench.

"I'm heading out to collect the Dragon Balls again," Bulma announced. "Where's my capsule case?"

"Should be over by my desk," The scientist responded, not changing his focus. "Have fun, sweetie."

"Sure thing," Bulma shrugged.

The group left the room and eventually made their way outside. Dr. Briefs finished soldering his circuit board and walked over to his desk, only to find that there was a capsule case with a bright sticker labeled "Bulma" on it. The man opened the case and frowned.

"Oh dear," The father of Bulma muttered with a nervous chuckle. "She took my case."

* * *

Gokū turned his head towards the heavens, ready to call for Kinto'un, but just remembered something.

"Oh wait! Lunch is still at the courthouse!" Gokū exclaimed.

"Well let's go check to see if she's all set," Caulifla suggested. "You know where that is Bulma?"

"Like the back of my hand," Bulma smirked. "We could use Kinto'un to get there, right?"

Gokū nodded and summoned the magical cloud from the heavens. Bulma activated her micro band and shrunk down, allowing Gokū to carry her with ease. The group boarded Kinto'un and Bulma relayed directions to the courthouse. Since the somersault cloud still didn't like Bulma, Gokū elected to repeat Bulma's directions to make it work. In no time at all, they were in front of the West City courthouse, and Bulma reverted to normal size.

Entering the building they were presented with a large kiosk with several attendants at the ready. The group approached and Bulma spoke up first.

"Excuse me," Bulma said in a polite tone. "We're wondering if a woman named Lunch is here right now."

"Lunch?" The clerk - an elderly woman - repeated with surprise. "She's currently in the judge's office. Why do you want to see that crook?"

"She's a friend of ours," Caulifla flatly answered, but stammered when she realized what she said may not look good in this building of the law. "I-I mean, She's helped us in taking care of the Red Ribbon Army's base some ways up north."

"The Red Ribbon Army?" The elderly clerk repeated with less surprise than before. "You kids shouldn't be playing with criminals, especially dangerous ones such as Lunch."

"We're serious!" Gokū exclaimed. "They were taking hostages from a place called Jingle Village and we got 'em out!"

"I don't think she's buying it guys," Bulma said.

"Certainly not," The clerk shook her head. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have more important matters to-"

"Yoohoo!" A blue-haired Lunch called from the right side hall. "There you guys are!"

"Hey Lunch!" Gokū and Caulifla simultaneously greeted.

"S-She's-what is she doing here?!" The elderly clerk stammered, almost fainting to see a notorious criminal approach her kiosk.

"I explained to Judge Gavel everything I could," Lunch explained. "From my sneezing to Muscle Tower. They'll pardon my record, but the condition is kind of a big one."

"What's that?" Caulifla asked.

"40 hours of community service," Lunch explained. "That might not sound like much, but since I've been fighting the Red Ribbon Army as of late, that'll count to those hours. Hm? Who's this?"

Lunch noticed Bulma amongst the group, who approached with an outstretched hand. "You must be Lunch," Bulma said per introductions. "I'm Bulma, a friend of these two."

"Pleased to meet you," Lunch shook the lavender-haired woman's hand before sheepishly chuckling. "And uh, hopefully Blonde doesn't hurt you."

"Right, the sneezing personality switch," Bulma confirmed, earning a surprised look from the navy blue-haired woman. "Well if you're free to go, how's about we start hunting for the Dragon Balls? The Red Ribbon are looking for them, so we can kill two birds with one stone."

"Absolutely!" Lunch agreed with vigor.

The group walked outside to see Kinto'un parked where they disembarked, with several traffice officers looking at the magical relic with absolute confusion. They were debating how to write a ticket for such a thing, if there was any traffic law for it at all. Three meters away from the yellow cloud was a 'no parking' sign.

"Oops," Gokū sheepishly chuckled. "I guess I didn't consider Kinto'un as part of traffic safety."

"I'll take care of this," Bulma volunteered, approaching the traffic officers. "HEY! Get away from my friend's cloud!"

"Miss Bulma!" One of the officers stammered. "We uh, were just trying to-"

"Just trying to find out what parking laws apply to a floating yellow cloud?" Bulma finished. "Look, there's no license system for flying clouds, and the 12-year-old riding it didn't know at the time. So how about just let him off easy and go on about ticketing that Silver Star that just ran a red light?"

"I-uh, of course!" The officer composed himself before taking his colleagues to pursue the red light offender.

"Problem solved!" Bulma turned around with a smile and victory sign. She then used the micro band on her wrist to shrink down once again. "Let's get going!"

The group shrugged and they boarded Kinto'un. With a click of the newly repaired dragon radar, Gokū ushered Kinto'un to fly to the southeast, where the next Dragon Ball lay in wait.

* * *

_**Red Ribbon Headquarters, Command Center**_

"Their movement patterns make no sense!" Commander red fumed, almost biting his cigar in half. "They just stopped in West City only to suddenly head to where General Blue is searching!"

"I suggest we inform General Blue," Staff Officer Black offered his idea.

"What he said!" Commander Red shouted to his subordinates. "Contact General Blue and tell him to kill those two runts and their maverick friend on sight! Oh, and get the Dragon Balls they're carrying after they're dead!"

"Yes sir!" One of the communications officers nodded before picking up a corded phone and contacting the man in question.

* * *

_**General Blue's outpost, Southeastern Coast**_

"Expedite our search!" A tall man in light brown uniform shouted. "We cannot disappoint Commander Red by delaying any longer!"

The man in question was General Blue. He had blonde hair and blue eyes. Despite his attire, one could tell he was fit, and many women would argue he is definitely worth it by his face alone. Walking to a window in his command center, something caught his attention and his face immediately worked with annoyance. He turned to his subordinate who was operating one of the consoles of the command center as well as clearing out his nose.

"You!" The pretty boy general shouted. "Were you just picking your nose?!"

"I-I'm sorry sir!" The subordinate stammered with fear. "I'll go wash my hands and-"

"Don't bother!" General Blue interrupted before taking a handkerchief and covering his face. "Execute this disgusting man immediately!"

Two guards grabbed the man who was kicking and screaming for dear life. Seconds later, gunfire was heard and General Blue smiled. His reverie was dispelled when an alligator man came up to him holding a picture.

"General Blue!" The reptillian man called out. "We just got new orders from HQ! The perpetrators that have dispatched Colonel Silver and General White's forces are on their way here. They possess two Dragon Balls, and our orders are to kill on sight."

"Let me see that," General Blue asked as he snatched the picture from the gator man's hands. On the picture were two children, one boy and one girl, both with black spiky hair and monkey tails, as well as a familiar blonde maverick that made his blood boil. "Well well well. It seems the traitor has made new friends. This should be fun."

"W-We also heard that they took down General White's company with ease," The alligator man reiterated.

"General White was a lazy fool," The blonde general sighed. "Too busy sipping a mug of hot cocoa and watching mundane sports events to get the job done. Scramble our hovercraft! Have them hunt down those pests and take their pilfered goods!"

* * *

**A/N:** _Hoooookay! This one was tough to write, mostly for how mundane it was. Not to say there weren't any good moments, but it was not a chapter I found much fun in writing. Maybe that's that infamous 'burn-out' I hear people talking about, but I hope that isn't the case. I'm going to shift from one chapter every week to every two weeks from now on. There may be a surprise chapter where I churn one out faster than that, but don't keep your hopes up._

_Now regarding the chapter itself. Lunch being a vigilante. Take a moment to picture that. Also, Caulifla getting super defensive about Bulma's parents insinuating that she and Goku are dating seemed like a good fit. I'm looking forward to the next chapter more than this one, so I hope this was a fun read. :)_


	14. Chapter 14: A Stressful Situation

_**Open Ocean**_

Flying over the ocean was an odd sight to anyone observing at sea level from their boats or from any inhabited islands. Kinto'un zoomed across the sky following Gokū's relayed directions from a tiny Bulma tucked in his gi. Bulma insisted on using the dragon radar herself since she built it and was coming along regardless. It wasn't long until she called for the magic cloud to stop, gesturing to the open waters down below.

"We should be right above it," the tiny Bulma explained.

"We're also above a giant tub of salt water," Caulifla added, looking down from the fluffy perch. "Did you pack a submarine or something? I can hold my breath pretty good, but I don't know how deep the ocean is."

"I'm glad you asked!" Bulma laughed. "And you two said I'd get in the way! Let's find somewhere to land first."

"Okay," Gokū nodded as he selected a nearby island to land on. The group disembarked and Bulma hopped out of Gokū's gi, returning to normal size.

"Hoo, that was stuffy!" Bulma exclaimed while pulling out her capsule case. "Okay, where's the #8 caps- ...Oh no…"

"What?" Gokū, Caulifla and Lunch asked in unison.

"There's only one capsule in here," Bulma groaned. "This better not be Dad's case…"

"Well, what's inside that capsule?" Lunch innocently asked.

"I don't think I want to know," Bulma sighed, her expression reflecting her annoyance.

"Open it and find out?" Caulifla suggested with a shrug.

"Fine," Bulma sighed. "This had better be something useful."

The lavender-haired genius gave the device a click and tossed it a meter away before the capsule exploded with its trademark 'POI' only to reveal something that made everyone back up with mixed reactions, none of which were pleasant. Inside the capsule was a box of various adult magazines.

"I KNEW IT!" Bulma shouted, her face tinted red. "OF COURSE HE SENDS ME OFF WITH HIS PORN CASE THAT JACKASS!"

"Well, on the plus side, we have something to test the results of Muten Rōshi's training, right?" Lunch meekly chuckled, turning her head away from the magazines.

"You would say that, wouldn't you?!" Bulma shouted at Lunch, getting right up in her face before pulling back and sighing. "Okay, keep it together Bulma, there's gotta be a way to get to the bottom of the ocean."

"Caulifla and I could try and swim down," Gokū suggested. "It couldn't hurt to try, right?"

"Fine, just get back here if your whale lungs aren't up to snuff," Bulma huffed.

The two nodded as they boarded Kinto'un and darted off over the spot where the Dragon Ball was hiding and swan dove into the water. Lunch, meanwhile took out a bird quill and tickled her nose, causing herself to sneeze into her blonde state. Bulma looked at this shift in demeanor with confusion, as the blonde Lunch pulled out a capsule case of her own and clicked open a capsule containing a weapons locker, pulling out several rifle magazines, their respective custom scoped M-16, two handguns with extra clips, and a single grenade. Once Lunch had her gear set, she saw bulma stare at her and looked annoyed.

"Maybe you need a picture?" Lunch growled. "It'll last longer."

"O-Oh, sorry," Bulma apologized, snapped out of her reverie. "I've just heard stories about your sneeze is all. Uh, you wouldn't happen to have any vehicles in that case, by any chance? Preferably underwater-certified?"

"If I did, I would've brought it up," Lunch answered, slinging her M-16 over her shoulder. "I have a humvee and a monocycle, but no subs sis."

"Okay, but why the guns?"

"Red Ribbon Army's looking for the Dragon Balls, right? Gotta be ready in case they decide to show up without Hansel and Gretel to back us up."

As if on cue, a distant whirring caught the attention of both women, but it was not of Kinto'un, but of several hovercopters on approach.

"Helloooo!~" Bulma called out, waving her arms, only for Lunch to immediately push her to the ground. "Hey! What's the big-"

Before Bulma could finish, the hovercopters began to open fire, and Lunch jumped in front to try and catch the bullets and tank those she missed. When the gunners of the offending vehicles stopped to let their weapons cool down, Lunch stood up and drew her rifle out, flipping the safety switch, cocking the magazine, and taking swift shots at the gunners in non-vital areas. Unfortunately, the pilots had access to front machine guns, and there was no way she could disable them from their given distance. Suddenly a thin, red line smacked against the hovercopters sending them falling into the water. The line, turns out, was the Nyoibō and it retracted back to Kinto'un where a soggy Gokū and Caulifla sat.

"You guys okay?" Gokū called out, putting away his pole. "We saw those guys open fire and came as quick as we could."

"Y-Yeah, we're fine," Bulma called out, standing up, breathing as if she had just ran a mile. Before she could dust the sand off herself, Lunch pulled her in by the shoulders, causing her to yelp, and began shouting.

"You lilac-headed dumbass!" Lunch shouted with frustration. "You don't wave 'Hello' to some random hovercopters when we have the world's ugliest sons-of-bitches after our heads!"

"I-I'm sorry!" Bulma frantically apologized, now fearing for her life not because of the Red Ribbon Army, but because of this crazy blonde woman. "I didn't think-"

"You didn't think?!" Lunch interrupted, her behavior appearing reminiscent of a drill sergeant from some old movies. "Oh well that's just what ANYONE wants to hear from the genius heiress of frigging Capsule Corp! You're lucky I can take bullets like mosquitos, otherwise you'd be swiss cheese on the sand!"

Lunch shoved her away, sighing and slinging her rifle back over her shoulder, leaving Bulma mentally distraught. Gokū and Caulifla walked over to check on their friend.

"You okay Bulma?" Gokū asked, snapping the woman out of her stew.

"She's scary…" Bulma meekly muttered, collapsing to her knees.

"Yeah, she is," Caulifla agreed with a nod. "But at least she's being scary for the right reasons. Right?"

"ACHOO!"

Lunch let out a loud sneeze and changed to her blue self and walked back over with a guilt-ridden face. "I'm sorry about Blonde's behavior," Lunch apologized with a bow. "She means well, and she did save your life. She was just a little too… annoyed with how you handled the situation."

"Y-Yeah, sure," Bulma hesitantly nodded before turning to Gokū and Caulifla. "So I take it the dive didn't go as planned?"

"It got really dark really quick," Gokū explained. "Even if we could see down there, we couldn't dive that deep. Maybe Muten Rōshi has a submarine?"

"He does have a capsule case, so we could ask," Lunch elaborated. "We at least have a peace offering in case his training has failed him.~"

"If it'll make life any easier, then I say bring it along," Caulifla suggested as she boarded Kinto'un. "Maybe Dr. Briefs's screw-up might work in our favor."

Bulma sighed as she shrunk herself down for Gokū to carry, only for Lunch to gently scoop her up instead, as Gokū had recently emerged from the ocean soaking wet. The rest boarded Kinto'un and Gokū requested they go to Kame House, to which the somersault cloud complied.

* * *

_**Kame House**_

Mr. Turtle was sitting along the shores of Kame House, lightly submerged in the tide, enjoying the sun and the soak from the ocean, all while munching on a small vine of kelp he plucked out of the shallows nearby this morning. The oceanborne reptile was snapped out of his bliss when he heard the familiar whirring of Kinto'un approach the island. Looking up lazily, he saw Gokū, Caulifla, and Lunch approach and eventually disembark once they reached the shore.

"Oh, hello friends!" The sea turtle greeted with glee. "It's been a while since you visited."

"Hi, Mr. Turtle," Gokū greeted. "Is Muten Rōshi around?"

"Hm? I heard my name," a voice called out from the single pink house on the island. Out from it emerged the Kame-Sennin, adorned in his usual attire of shorts, a tropical button-down shirt, and his trademark turtle shell. "Oh, hey guys!"

Everyone collectively bowed lightly, while Bulma jumped out of Lunch's bag to revert to normal size, surprising the hermit greatly.

"Alright, I'll cut to the chase," Bulma started bluntly. "We need a vehicle that's capable of diving underwater. Watercraft, submarine, you name it."

"Hm" Muten Rōshi pondered for a moment. "I do have something available, but it won't be free."

'_Here it comes,'_ Bulma groaned mentally while visibly rolling her eyes.

"I want that wristwatch you got," The turtle hermit requested, pointing one finger at Bulma's wrist.

"...That's it?" Bulma stammered with disbelief. "I thought you were gonna ask for something lecherous!"

"Hoooohohoho! I've been training for that!" Rōshi laughed. Everyone except for Lunch sighed with relief.

"I mean no disrespect sir," Lunch spoke up politely. "But I think I know what you want to use that wristwatch for."

"I-What?!" Rōshi stammered, surprised to see his plans were so easily deduced. "I have no idea what you're talking about!"

"Would you care to say that to Blonde?~" Lunch cheekily retorted, nonchalantly waving a feather back and forth, causing Rōshi to sweat bullets and eventually sigh in defeat.

"Alright, you caught me," The Kame-Sennin admitted, hanging his head in shame. "I was gonna use that to sneak into the lady's restroom."

"I knew it," Bulma muttered, folding her arms.

"Well, on the plus side, we didn't come empty ha-haaa…. Aaaaaa!" Lunch began to speak until some sea spray began to tickle her nose, causing everyone to flinch and hide behind Mr. Turtle, who was especially terrified.

"ACHOO!"

Lunch's blue-haired state turned blonde and she sniffled to clear her sinuses. "As I was saying - or as Blue was saying, we didn't come empty-handed, Gramps," Lunch gruffly continued. "Here's a little peace offering, courtesy of Bulma's dad being an absolute perv."

Lunch tossed the capsule to Rōshi after clicking it, causing it to 'POI' on contact with the ground, revealing Dr. Briefs's shameful collection. Everyone except for Muten Rōshi looked away while steam began to vent from the hermit's nose and a goofy grin crept upon his face, only to cease when he shook himself out of the self-indulgent stupor.

"No!" The hermit shouted, before clearing his throat and recomposing himself. "I-I mean, No thank you. That would hamper the boobs-I-I mean fruits of my training!"

"Real smooth," Bulma sarcastically commented, eyes closed.

"Well what the hell do you want Kame-Sennin?" Lunch asked, annoyance laced in her voice. She then got an idea and promptly shifted her demeanor from irritated to seductive, complete with a mischievous smirk "Do you want me to flash you?"

"N-No thank you!" Rōshi rejected, steam evacuating from his nostrils once again. "I-I'll think of something!"

"This is almost too good to watch," Bulma chuckled, observing the old hermit suffer from his own restraint, or lack thereof. '_Hopefully he doesn't snap though.'_

"Come on Muten Rōshi!" Lunch begged, trying to stifle giggles at the absurdity of the situation. She leaned forward and put her arms down and together to emphasize her cleavage. "You know you wanna."

Rōshi strained several groans for a few seconds, his face drenched in sweat and red as a brick. What happened next was unexpected.

"GAAAAAHHH!" The hermit screamed as he rushed inside, rummaging through drawers before emerging again to put a 'Do not Disturb' sign on his screen door before running off into his house to do who knows what. On the sign was a sticky note which Lunch plucked and read.

"Kuririn has the vehicle you need. He went out grocery shopping. Should be back soon. P.S. That was the toughest test of my life!"

"Not a word of this to anyone," Lunch sternly pointed at Bulma.

"Mums the word," Bulma agreed with a smile, zipping her lips.

"Did he cave?" Gokū asked.

"Well, guess we won't need this peace offering," Bulma said as she walked over to the offending box of magazines.

"LEAVE THAT BOX!" Rōshi shouted from within his house, stopping the lavender-haired woman in her tracks.

"That answers your question, Gokū," Caulifla said as she sat down on the sandy shore. "So Lunch, what did the note say?"

"Kuririn's got the vehicle we need," Lunch answered. "He should be back soon. Oh, speak of the devil."

As if on cue, a familiar glint of Kuririn's bald head could be seen from the distance, driving a hover car with bags of groceries in the passenger seats. Once the vehicle parked itself on the shore and the monk hopped out, he was greeted by three friends, one acquaintance and a crate of unsightly magazines.

"Oh, hey guys!" Kuririn called with glee. "Were you testing Muten Rōshi's training or something?"

"Something like that," Lunch responded, tilting her head to the side. "We actually need an underwater vehicle, and that car you got there is apparently up to par. We already got permission to borrow it."

"Alright," Kuririn shrugged. "Lemme just put these away first."

Gokū and Caulifla offered to help put away the groceries, which expedited the task and was done within minutes. "So, what do you guys need to go underwater for?"

"There's a Dragon Ball at the bottom of the ocean," Bulma spoke up, showing off where on her radar the relic was located. "I managed to pick up my dad's capsule case instead of my own, and that crate was the only capsule."

"Gokū and I tried diving down, but that didn't work," Caulifla added.

"Good thing I have some scuba gear stowed away!" Kuririn noted with a grin, all while earning a collective look of confusion. "What?! I like diving for treasure! Speaking of which..."

Kuririn took a moment to ready the vehicle's seating arrangements and folded out a fourth seat. "I've heard Muten Rōshi talking about an old legend of pirate treasure in the waters nearby," The monk elaborated as he adjusted the craft. "Who knows? Maybe we can find that along with the Dragon Ball."

"You had me at 'pirate treasure,' monk!" Lunch exclaimed with unforeseen giddiness.

"Pirate treasure at the bottom of the ocean!" Bulma mulled over with stars in her eyes.

"Oh wait, I just realized," Kuririn mentioned as he was doing a quick head count. "This sub only has seating for 4."

"Way ahead of you buddy!" Bulma announced, pressing the button on her micro band, causing her to shrink. "And now seating shouldn't be an issue!"

"Whoa!" Kuririn exclaimed as he saw the lilac-haired woman shrink to the size of a mouse.

"I say we get going!" Gokū announced, hopping into the craft, ready to go. Caulifla was quick to follow.

As everyone boarded the craft, a dome-like hatch emerged from behind and covered the top half of the vehicle, sealing air in. Lunch took the driver's seat from Kuririn and revved the engines to life. Following the directions given by Bulma, she steered the craft over the point where the Dragon Ball was hidden, and they began their descent into the ocean. By the time the submarine had reached 5 fathoms deep, Bulma realized something.

"Oh crap!" she cried out. "We left the Dragon Balls at Kame House!"

Uh-oh," Caulifla muttered. "Muten Rōshi might be getting Red Ribbon visitors."

"H-Hold on a sec!" Kuririn stammered, almost refusing to believe what Caulifla just said. "Did you just say 'Red Ribbon?!' As in the Red Ribbon Army?!"

"Yeah?" Caulifla nonchalantly answered. "We get that they're absolute jerks, but Gokū, Lunch and I fought them before. They're not too tough. It's their numbers you got to be careful with."

"Can confirm," Lunch added, controlling the descent of their vehicle. "I struggled at worst against those guys. Odds are Muten Rōshi will mop the floor with 'em."

"Still, they have a lot of tricks up their sleeves," Gokū added, wondering what they'll roll out next. "Probably best to be on our toes."

"Huh," was all Kuririn could say in light of this information. "Well alright then."

"Okay, we should be right above it now," Bulma said, sitting in one of the vehicle's cup holders. "So, who wants to go outside and check?"

"I'll go," Caulifla volunteered. "So, where's that scuba gear you mentioned, Kuririn?"

"Storage locker to your left," The monk answered. "You can use the hatch at the back to get outside."

"Cool, thanks," Caulifla nodded as she pulled out the oxygen tank, mask, and wetsuit. Her expression hardened and she stared daggers at Kuririn. "You better not peep."

Kuririn nervously looked away, while Gokū had kept his vision averted from the start for her sake, and occupied himself with all the aquatic life swimming around. Before meeting Caulifla Gokū had no regard for personal decency or that of others, but now understood that some people are off-put by seeing others naked and vice versa. It wasn't long before a scuba gear-wearing Caulifla could be seen out in the ocean, scanning the ocean floor for any glints of amber that signify the Dragon Ball.

"No signs of it so far," Caulifla muttered, her voice transmitted over her mask's radio.

"Have you checked that crevice to your right?" Kuririn asked, causing Caulifla to scream and flounder about - pun intended.

"Holy crap!" Caulifla exclaimed after calming down. "Could've told me this thing has a radio!"

"Sorry," Kuririn apologized with a chuckle.

Caulifla proceeded to swim to the crevice Kuririn mentioned, but saw nothing inside, and the space was too narrow to swim through. "Yeah, if it's down there, there's no way I can get to it," Caulifla said, looking into the crack in the ocean floor.

"Hang on a sec," the tiny Bulma called out over to the radio. She adjusted the Dragon Radar to scan the ground for any hollow passageways, and changed the display's axis to show a cross-section of the floor. "Aha! There's a tunnel opening up in the side of a nearby trench, and it leads straight to the Dragon Ball!"

"And maybe that treasure as well," Gokū added, now eager to find this treasure.

Caulifla swam back to the submarine and abandoned the scuba gear, donning her original clothes once more. Lunch then steered the vehicle to the cave opening Bulma had mentioned. Sure enough, inside the nearby trench was a large hole in the underwater cliffside. She gingerly navigated the sub into the space, activating the headlights in the process.

"Spooky," Caulifla muttered, seeing the long corridor of water before them. She was snapped out of her reverie when a large torpedo just missed their submarine. "What the-?!"

"Uh guys?" Gokū said, looking behind the sub. "I think the Red Ribbon Army's following us."

Several meters behind their vehicle was a large military-grade submarine, torpedo tubes at the ready, and emblazoned on the side was the trademark insignia of the Red Ribbon Army.

"Well no shit, Sherlock!" Lunch snapped before sliding over to the exit hatch. "Take the wheel, Bonk!"

"Hey!" Kuririn shouted, annoyed at the reference Lunch used against him.

Lunch donned the scuba mask and tank, omitting changing into the wetsuit and took the hatch to head outside. Swimming to the top of the natural tunnel, she pulled out her one grenade and tore out the pin, tucking the green explosive into a small outcrop in the rocks before swimming as fast as she could back to the group's submarine. An explosion hit the ceiling of the cave and the large submarine was impeded from going any further. Once Lunch entered the group sub once more, she rang out her hair and shook off as much water as the allotted space would permit.

"That'll slow 'em down for a little," Lunch grinned, proud of her work. "They'll probably deploy smaller subs after us, but at least I got us some distance."

"Awesome!" everyone onboard exclaimed as Kuririn continued to follow the tunnel.

* * *

_**Kame House**_

Muten Rōshi sat in his bedroom, beads of sweat rolling off his bald scalp as he tried to calm himself from his earlier episode. His training was certainly incomplete, and there was indeed room to improve.

"This is gonna be tougher than I thought," The hermit thought to himself aloud. "Well, at least I have the place to myself again."

Rōshi's solitude was short-lived as several aircraft approached his tiny island. The elder martial artist groaned as he stood up and proceeded to step outside, only to be greeted by several Red Ribbon army men pointing their guns at him.

"Yo," Rōshi casually greeted. "What can I do for you youngsters?"

A large, portly officer approached the hermit. "You must be the one who devised that advanced Dragon Ball radar, yes?" he asked in a smug manner.

"Me?" Rōshi questioned. "I've done some carpentry in my day, but I've never built anything electronic."

"Don't bother denying it!" The officer shouted, grin unfading. "We know you have an accurate Dragon Ball radar."

"Kinda missed the boat on that one," Rōshi nonchalantly commented. "Who are you guys anyway?"

"We're with the Red Ribbon Army, fool!" The officer announced, grin spreading now ear to ear.

"Oh right, those guys. Bunch of fellows putting down the little guy to get what they want, new world order, all that nonsense. So what does the 'terrible, awful, Red Ribbon Army' want with me?"

"First things first. Hand over the two Dragon Balls those kids and the sneezing traitor dropped off. Second, make a Dragon Ball radar of the same specification as the one they're using."

"Again, I didn't build the damn thing. But if I were to refuse?"

"I think you know the answer to that."

"Hmph," Rōshi mulled over for a second before smiling. "Let's see what you youngsters got then!"

Immediately the Kame-sennin launched a fist into the fat officer's stomach, sending him skipping across the ocean like a stone. Before the soldiers could open fire, the old master began unleashing a flurry of attacks too quick for any of them to follow, leaving all but one soldier standing, who proceeded to open fire. The turtle hermit was quick and caught every single bullet with precision, dropping them harmlessly to the ground when the terrified soldier stopped firing.

"Alright, that's it!" An unfamiliar voice called out from the pontoon plane off the shore. Emerging was a young woman of violet hair and blue eyes, an expression similar to Blonde Lunch's. "You're gonna give us those Dragon Balls! I am not planning on taking a pay cut over this!"

"I uh," Muten Rōshi stammered, seeing this attractive woman before him, who resembled a fusion of Bulma and Lunch. "Sorry, no can do, miss uh"

"Colonel Violet," The woman, now known as Colonel Violet impatiently introduced herself. "Now cough up the shiny trinkets! I need my payday!"

Muten Rōshi began to sweat, steam evacuating from his nostrils, as this angry yet attractive woman was demanding the Dragon Balls. He had to show restraint, but his resolve was crumbling fast. He needed a quick way out of this, and then it hit him. He immediately focused his ki and his muscle mass exploded outward, tearing apart his shirt, leaving him in his trousers, startling the colonel.

"Holy shit!" Violet screamed, seeing the diminutive old man suddenly turn into a jacked up monster.

"I believe you've overstayed your welcome," Rōshi growled, his expression stern. He grabbed Violet by the waist and held her over his head. "Begone!"

Muten Rōshi proceeded to throw her out to sea and well over the horizon, glinting once out of sight. Once the Kame-sennin was certain all of his intruders were dispatched, his muscle mass receded and he let out a long sigh. "The things I have to put up with."

* * *

**A/N:** _Hookay, this one was tough. I'm not particularly fond of the underwater adventure segment of the story, so my difficulties lie there. (DAMN YOU WATER LEVELS!) I did have fun tormenting Roshi however, so that was fun. Also, I brought in filler character Colonel Violet just to torment Roshi even further. I was tempted to have Roshi say "Begone Thot!" when getting rid of her, but a colleague of mine suggested otherwise. To those who hate that meme, you're welcome._

_Story aside, I hope everyone is staying safe during this time. Social distancing and all that, and I hope this was a fun read. :)_


	15. Chapter 15: The Pirate's Bounty

_**Underwater Tunnel**_

The crew of Kuririn's submarine found an air pocket at the end of the tunnel, and disembarked their collective vehicle having to go on foot. Not far behind were a dispatchment of 3 Red Ribbon submersibles filled with armed soldiers - General Blue being among them. Said general was wrapping up listening to a report on how Colonel Violet's platoon sent to Kame House was thoroughly dispatched by a shriveled up old man. Suffice to say he was livid when he exited his submersible.

"That imbecilic harlot!" General Blue grumbled. "It was just an old man! How much trouble could someone have with just an old man?!"

"I see the targets up ahead!" One soldier called out, seeing five silhouettes further into the tunnel, only to pause for a moment. "They've stopped running. Should we engage?"

"Negative," The blonde general declined. "It could be a trap, expecting us to charge in with reckless abandon. We will move in once we can confirm the situation."

"But sir, they're just kids," A walrus man sailor suggested.

"Kids with dangerous capabilities and that traitor Lunch to assist them!" Blue snapped at his subordinate. "Two of those 'kids' aided Lunch in dismantling General White's company at Muscle Tower, and those two 'kids' cleaned out Colonel Silver's detachment effortlessly shortly before that! And need I remind you that the old man at their little island hideout had completely decimated Colonel Violet's platoon?!"

The soldiers and sailors listening were dumbstruck at what the general had just described. Blue sighed through his nose and regained his composure. "That said, their mistake was underestimating their foes." General Blue began once again. "Colonel Silver let his hubris as a boxing champion cloud his judgement, and General White was far too lazy to get the job done, all while Colonel Violet lacked conviction and was just after wealth. I, however, am not so blinded by hubris, not so lazy, and not so vain and narrow-minded, gentlemen! With my guidance, we shall dispatch those uncouth children and their renegade colleague with ease!"

Some soldiers began to applaud General Blue's speech, to which he bowed, accepting the praise. "Thank you, thank you very much. You're too kind. Now, who among you is good at sneaking?"

* * *

Gokū, Caulifla, Lunch, Bulma, and Kuririn continued their trek down the dark cavern, not knowing what they would find inside.

"So, the Dragon Ball should be at the end of this cave?" Gokū inquired, marching on through.

"I'm almost certain of it," Bulma answered, watching her step in the darkness. "Of course if we don't get killed by the Red Ribbon Army first."

"I don't hear them following us," Kuririn commented, looking back. "Think they gave up?"

"Not likely Bonk," Lunch answered, earning another look of indignation from the monk for her choice of words. "General Blue's leading that company. I could tell by the serial number on that big sub. He's not the sort to call it quits so easily."

"How do you know that?" Bulma asked.

"Lunch worked with those guys before bailing," Caulifla answered. "Her working with them could be a blessing in disguise, given how much she knows."

"Doesn't mean I know everything about 'em," Lunch added. "I know their general strategies and basic bios of the chiefs in charge, but not much more beyond that."

"I can hardly see anything in here," Gokū muttered, straining his eyes to see where they were. His eyes soon caught a small sheen of metal and he saw a button. Out of curiosity, he pushed the button, and immediately the dark cave was illuminated by a string of ceiling lights, startling everyone present. "Whoa! Now that's better!"

"What did you just do?!" Kuririn asked, still surprised at the sudden light.

"I just saw this button on the wall and pressed it," Gokū answered with a chuckle. "I guess it was a light switch!"

"But why would there be lights in here?" Bulma questioned, trepidation ebbing in her voice. "Shows we're not the first to use these caves, but who was using them?"

"Maybe it was the pirates Kuririn mentioned?" Caulifla suggested.

"Makes sense to me," Lunch shrugged. "If I was hoarding pilfered gold in an underwater cave, I'd want some lights as well."

"Buuuuulma…." Bulma turned around only to see Gokū with a skull over his face, causing the girl to shriek and fall backwards. Gokū couldn't help but laugh at this, Caulifla joining in the laughter. "Sorry, the look on your face was priceless!"

"Ah, wait. Where did you find that?" Caulifla asked, now broken out of her laughing fit. Gokū gestured over to the now headless skeleton donned in typical pirate's clothing, an assault rifle at its legs. "Okay, that's just gross."

"Confirms the treasure legends a bit though," Lunch commented, inspecting the skeleton, and then the assault rifle on the ground. "No one makes or sells this type of rifle anymore. Safe to say the operation these guys ran was ancient, say, two, maybe three centuries old about. That, and there's nothing but calcified bone on this guy."

"Cool!" Kuririn exclaimed. "So that means the treasure _is_ real, and we'll have it made!"

"Have you forgotten the stipulation 'if we get out of here alive?!'" Bulma retorted, before sighing and following the group's march deeper into the tunnel. It wasn't long before the tunnel began to shift in shape, looking more artificially carved out, until a large square corridor was before them, with several circles on the floor and walls. "Okay, this is obviously a trap."

"I have to agree," Caulifla nodded.

"You guys worry too much!" Kuririn said as he marched forward, stepping on one of the circles on the floor, sending a small harpoon flying from one of the holes in the wall, barely missing the monk's shiny scalp.

"What did I just say?!" Caulifla snapped. "You're lucky you're short!"

"Like you're a colossus?" Kuririn retorted.

"Okay, so the floor is lined with switches to launch arrows," Gokū mulled. "How 'bout we jump over it?"

"Works for me," Caulifla shrugged, earning a nod from Lunch, and an exclamation from Kuririn. "You first then."

"Alright," Gokū nodded, backing up to get a running start. Quicker than anyone could see, Gokū leaped over the no man's land of pressure switches, safely on the other side, and grinned at his accomplishment. "That was easy!"

"My turn!" Caulifla called out as she proceeded to do the same with agility and grace. "Kuririn, you're up!"

"Will do!" The former monk agreed, getting a similar running start and jumping. His error was jumping too high, and bumped his head against the ceiling, landing on his back just shy of the clearing, sending two arrows whizzing above him. Unable to move from shock, Gokū elected to drag him off the pressure switches and over to the end. "Ouch… Jumped too high for that one."

"HEY!" Bulma shouted. "How the hell am I supposed to get across?!"

"Jump?" Gokū suggested.

"TO WHERE?! MY DEATH?!"

"Uh, Gokū?" Caulifla interrupted. "She doesn't have any training under her belt."

"Oh right!" Gokū slapped his face before holding his chin for thought. "How about you have Lunch carry you after you shrink down?"

"I... Can't believe I didn't think of that," Bulma calmed down as she pressed the button on her micro band, shrinking her down for Lunch to pick up.

"Hang tight," Lunch said to her small friend. Instead of performing a long jump like the others did, Lunch elected to jump to the side and rebound from each wall, bouncing like a rubber ball between the walls, never touching the floor until she finally crossed to the other side. She let down a dazed Bulma, who reverted to normal size.

"I couldn't make that distance, so I had to try something else," Lunch shrugged "Pirates might be clever with traps, but I don't think they considered wall jumps, eh?"

"Yeah," was all Bulma could say as she struggled to gain her bearings, lurching over to prevent herself from heaving. "Wall jumps are cool…"

"We got a minute to breathe," Lunch added, patting Bulma's back. "No way in Hell any of those idiots can cross that jump without getting skewered." As if on cue, several war cries from the Red Ribbon soldiers erupted from the opposite end of the death trap, which were quickly replaced with agonized screams as they activated a sizable number of pressure switches with reckless abandon, kebabing all the soldiers against the walls. "What'd I tell you?"

"That looked like it hurt," Kuririn grimaced at the gruesome sight. "Maybe being short isn't so bad after all."

"Hey guys!" Gokū called out from further down the tunnel. "There's a big open space over here!"

The group followed Gokū's calls and entered what looked like a large underground harbor. A massive submarine floated in a giant reservoir of water while crates were stacked in a haphazard manner all over the place.

"Yeah, this place is definitely ancient," Bulma surmised. "Well before Hoi-Poi capsule technology, that's for sure. At least we know there's more than one exit."

"What makes you say that?" Caulifla asked.

"Well, if that big submarine is any indicator, this harbor has a tunnel leading back out into the ocean."

The group proceeded to walk around and survey the large derelict harbor. Bulma, Lunch and Kuririn were at ease, but Gokū and Caulifla were tense.

"You feel it too?" Gokū asked the spiky-haired girl.

"Yeah," Caulifla nodded. "Whatever it is, it's not human."

"Y-you mean, like a zombie?!" Bulma squeaked, already picturing horror film scenarios running amok in her head.

"Or g-ghosts?!" Kuririn added, now sweating bullets of fear.

"Maybe zombie ghosts?" Lunch sarcastically added to ease the tension, only to cause the cowering monk and city girl to tremble even more, earning a facepalm from the blonde.

The real answer came shuffling towards them with mechanical whirring and pneumatic hissing. A large humanoid robot with a large skull decoration on its head had appeared from one of the hangars, armed with a large cutlass in one hand, and a machine gun replacing the other forearm. It saw the group and began swinging its cutlass.

"Both wrong! Robot!" Gokū shouted out as he dodged the automaton's sword with ease, while Caulifla dodged the hailstorm of machine gun bullets fired from its other arm.

"Why is it always robots?!" Lunch growled, grabbing Bulma and Kuririn by the arms and bolting to the nearest hall. "Let's find that treasure and get the hell out of here!"

"You're gonna leave Gokū and Caulifla to face that thing?!" Kuririn shouted as his arm was tugged.

"They've fought worse at Muscle Tower!" Lunch retorted. "The sooner we get that loot, the sooner we stay ahead of General Blue! He is _not_ someone you wanna fight!"

"We got this guys!" Caulifla called back right before snapping the robot's cutlass off its handle. "Gokū! The legs!"

"Got it!" Gokū nodded as he tackled the death machine's legs, sending it into the water. "Hokay, What're the odds that thing's waterproof?"

"Pretty good I bet," Caulifla shrugged.

"How's about I lure it out and you hit it once it surfaces?" Gokū suggested as he drew out his Nyoibō and tossed it to Caulifla.

"Sounds good to me," Caulifla agreed as she willed the red pole to a decent length for concussive damage.

Gokū dove into the water to search for the robot. Fortunately it was not hard to find, and he just had to lure it out. The robot's long tail coiled around the boy's ankle and began pumping several volts of electricity to electrocute the boy. The feeling was almost as bad as Jackie Chun's lightning attack, made even worse by the fact that he was underwater. Air was escaping his lungs and he reacted quickly by ripping the mechanical tail off and swam up to take in much-needed oxygen into his lungs. The robot then displaced itself from the water ready to kill this intruder.

...Only to be smacked by a thin red pole and sent careening into the derelict submarine and exploding on contact.

"You alright over there?" Cauilifla called out as she tossed a now-shrunken Nyoibō back to Gokū, who caught it with ease.

"Reminded me of Jackie Chun's lightning move," Gokū said followed by a chuckle. "Although I don't think I could've won the same way though."

Both children were snapped out of their reverie when the ceiling began to crack and groan, dust falling from the ceiling. The shockwave from the robot's explosion seems to have hit the cave and is causing it to give way. "How 'bout we get going before we're buried?!" Caulifla suggested frantically.

"No argument from me!" Gokū agreed, sprinting in the direction the others ran off to, with Caulifla following close behind.

The duo ran down the corridor, dust falling from the fissures cracking into the ceiling. They saw a fork in the passage but saw an arrow drawn onto the ground pointing to the left. They suspected the others left the mark to show where they were going and followed it. Little did they know that General Blue was far ahead of them and led them down the wrong path.

* * *

"You think those two will find your sign?" Bulma asked Kuririn as they ran down the hallway.

"It's an arrow drawn into the floor!" Lunch snapped. "You'd have to be an idiot to not know where it went!"

"Guys!" Kuririn called from up ahead. "There's another underwater tunnel here! We'll have to swim!"

Kuririn and Bulma dropped down to their undergarments and dove into the water, followed by Lunch who opted to keep her clothes on. Back at the entrance, the esteemed general had caught up to where the group had dove.

"Two martial artists out of the picture, thanks to a quick... recalculation of route," General Blue chuckled. He had witnessed Gokū and Caulifla display their training in fighting the century old sentry and concluded why the other companies had trouble with them. "Where did the other three go? Swimming? Ugh, how uncouth, but I must retrieve that dragon ball! The rumored treasure certainly would be a nice bonus."

The general dropped his uniform jacket and cap and dove into the water with grace, leaving his trousers and boots, eager to get this hunt over with.

* * *

"Ah great!" Caulifla exclaimed. "It's a dead end!"

"That General Blue guy probably switched up the arrow on us!" Gokū growled, frustrated that he was duped.

Before either child could say another word, the floor beneath them opened up and they fell into a new chamber. They expected to land on rock or water, but instead landed on a surface that was almost gelatinous in composition. They both looked down and saw they were stood atop a giant octopus.

"Ooooohohohohooo!" The octopus laughed through its siphon. "My first meal in ages!"

"Uh, Sorry to break it to you, but we're in a bit of a hurry to be someone's lunch," Gokū responded to the giant cephalopod.

"I don't think so!" The octopus retorted. "I haven't had a live meal in a long time, and I'm gonna have it now!"

The octopus wrapped two of its eight arms around the monkey children and began thrashing them against the walls of the cave with the intent to tenderize its meal. The giant mollusk brought the two in closer to its large eyes to inspect their condition.

"Still alive eh?" The octopus siphon-laughed.

"Hey Gokū," Caulifla groaned from her suspended spot. "I'm getting kinda hungry myself. How do you feel about kalamari?"

"I think that's for squid," Gokū retorted, catching onto her plan. "We could have some Takoyaki after we get out."

"HA!" The leviathanic cephalopod laughed. "You runts?! Eat me?!"

"Well, not raw," Caulifla said as she cupped her hands to her side, grinning the whole time while Gokū joined in. "But we know of a way to prep food on the go. KAMEHAMEHA!"

Caulifla thrust her hands forward to unleash the patented Turtle School technique, while Gokū followed close behind, aiming directly at the giant mollusk, roasting it to a tender crisp. The two were released from the monster's grip, leaving those two tentacles unharmed yet still alive.

"Let's pack those for later," Gokū suggested, taking out a Hoi-Poi capsule from his case.

"You read my mind," Caulifla grinned as she took out an empty capsule of her own to pack up her respective tentacle. "Still, shouldn't let the rest go to waste."

The two were startled by a loud grumble eminating from both their stomachs, and they proceeded to chow down onto the toasted treat in front of them.

* * *

Bulma, Lunch, and Kuririn surfaced in another air pocket with a prominent platform in front of them. The three climbed to the dry land and proceeded to shake as much salt water off as they could, Lunch most of all.

"I don't see why you kept your clothes on," Bulma commented, seeing Lunch struggle to dry herself.

"With the degenerate cueball here? Hell no," Lunch sneered.

"But what about when Muten Ro-"

"I said not a word about that!" Lunch snapped, causing the lavender-haired genius to recoil back. "Alright, lemme try something..."

Lunch closed her eyes and stood in a squatted kata. She inhaled deeply and let out a quick shout, which was followed by a just as quick gust of wind eminating from her body, launching every droplet and grain of sand off of her.

"Whew," Lunch sighed, now completely dry. "I'm glad that kiai woah... Ahhh Sheaaahh... Aaaaahh...!"

Lunch sneezed.

"Excuse me," The now blue-haired lunch meekly apologized, rubbing her nose. "I guess the sea salt tickled my nose a bit."

"Well that's just great!" Bulma shouted, now adopting the mantle of angry woman. "What're we supposed to do now that Lunch is in this state?!"

"Uh, hello?!" Kuririn interjected. "I can still fight, thank you very much!"

"I can still fight a little even if Blonde's out," Lunch added. "She's better with fighting, but I have a better handle on ki control."

"Okay, I guess the situation isn't all bad," Bulma sighed. She turned her head and saw a large treasure chest. "Okay! Situation got a whole lot better! Kuririn, Lunch, help me open this thing up!"

"Way ahead of you!" Kuririn exclaimed with glee at the sight of the giant locker. Lunch walked over to find a padlock on the front latch and proceeded to try and force it apart with her hands. After a few seconds, the padlock was snapped apart and the lid was hinging back to reveal a most wondrous plunder of riches. Jewels, gold, jewelry that would easily bail a small country out of crippling debt. "We're rich!"

"I regret to inform you that the contents of that locker are now of Red Ribbon jurisdiction," General Blue called out from the water, his toned body shimmering from the sea water. Kuririn and Lunch saw the man with mild trepidation, while Bulma reacted completely differently.

"Ai Carumba!" Bulma squealed. "This day just keeps getting better and better! Hello Mr. hunk!"

Bulma raced over to General Blue and grabbed the man's arm, purring at the sight of what was the most dreamy man she had ever seen (despite the fact that she had seen guys that were of similar quality).

"Eugh!" The Red Ribbon general grimaced with disgust. "Don't touch me you disgusting harlot!" The general shuddered as he tried to brush the cooties off of his arm.

"Uh, Bulma?" Lunch said with a nervous chuckle. "General Blue, he uh... swings to a different tune. Blonde made the same mistake before. Just, not to the same extreme you did."

"Fooey," Bulma sighed with a bemused look on her face. "The absolute dream boat turned out to be gay."

"Excuse me?" General Blue growled at that remark. "You fools don't know what trouble you're in right now. Hand over the treasure _and_ that radar of yours and you _might_ walk away unscathed."

"Fat chance!" Kuririn shouted as he squared up. "I'll take you on! Just a fair warning, I've got martial arts expertise under my belt!"

"Kuririn, wait!" Lunch called out. "General Blue is stronger than he looks!"

"Come on! How bad could he be?" Kuririn dismissed Lunch's warning before turning back to his foe. "Your move, buddy!"

"Confident little runt, aren't you?" General Blue smirked, taking a stance of his own.

* * *

"Mmm! Kinda chewy, but good for on the go," Gokū commented as he finished the seared cephalopod tentacle.

"Certainly doesn't need salt," Caulifla added, chewing on her own snack. "Still could use some seasoning, or maybe a sauce."

The two were snapped out of their culinary reverie when they heard screams emanate from one of the cave walls. Gokū and Caulifla looked at one another with surprise plastered on their faces.

"Oh crap! The others!" The two simultaneously exclaimed as they dove into the nearby reservoir of water to find their friends.

* * *

Bulma and Lunch were hiding behind the treasure chest as they saw Kuririn dazed and bruised as he was slumped against the cavern wall, all while General Blue was unscathed and spry.

"What happened to all that bravado, boy?" The blonde general laughed. "Is this the best fight you can muster?!"

"I warned him," Lunch muttered with trepidation. "General Blue was a novice student of a powerful martial arts school. He left to join the Red Ribbon when he had the chance."

"You're mentioning this now?!" Bulma hissed at Lunch.

"I tried to warn Kuririn about what he was getting into!" Lunch defended. "Plus I thought Gokū and Caulifla would be here to fight him! He must've diverted them down the other corridor."

"Alright," Kuririn groaned as he pulled himself to his feet. "I gotta fight serious now."

"C'mon Kuririn!" Bulma cheered. "Pulverize that jerk!"

Spurred by Bulma's cheers, Kuririn jumped up and bounced off the ceiling of the cavern, aiming a foot directly at the general's face. This time, the attack had hit home, sending the man stumbling back as he clutched his face.

"Agh!" Blue screamed with frustration. "You actually hit my beautiful face!" The general removed his hand to see something that mortified him. "Blood...? MY blood?! FROM MY NOSE?! OH THE INHUMANITY OF IT ALL!"

The Red Ribbon general hugged himself with indignation and disgust at his bleeding nose, leaving the rest of the group dumbfounded.

"This guy's weird," the short monk commented, seeing General Blue go through his episode.

"He's the... persnickety sort," Lunch added, mildly cringing at the sight.

"That's it!" The now enraged general growled, staring daggers at his diminutive foe, wadded up tissue now in his nostrils. "I will not let any of you leave this cavern alive! Especially the maverick over there!"

General Blue's eyes flashed for a split second, and Kuririn suddenly found himself unable to move. "What the-" The monk strained as he was completely immobilized. "What's... going on?!"

"Telekinesis!" General Blue laughed haughtily. "Try as you might, you won't be able to budge without my say so!"

"Oh no!" Lunch cried out, seeing this happen before her.

The Red Ribbon general wasted no time in laying into the now frozen monk, tossing him around, not averting his gaze. Blue tossed the boy by one leg against the wall of the cavern, causing him to slump back down to the ground, even more injured than when he began. Dust and pebbles began to fall from the ceiling after the impact.

_'Whoever dug out this cave either was a terrible architect, or counted on this,'_ Blue thought as the cavern started to give way. He then grabbed a large rock and walked over to Kuririn's downed body. "Say good-night, you eyesore!"

Before General Blue could crush Kuririn's skull with the rock, two figures jumped out of the water - Gokū and Caulifla!

"You guys are back!" Bulma cheered.

"Is the shirtless pretty boy over there General Blue?" Caulifla asked, while she and Gokū squared up.

"The very same!" Lunch confirmed.

"You two are quite the thorn in our sides, eh?" General Blue acknowledge the newcomers. "If you two are anything like your bald friend, then this should be-"

The general did not get to finish his sentence as Gokū had buried his fist into his abdomen, causing the older man to lurch over and clutch his stomach with pain.

"Less talking, more fighting!" Gokū demanded as he took his stance once again.

"You little ingrate!" Blue snarled as his eyes flashed, entrapping Gokū with his telekinesis, causing the boy to struggle in vain. "Try pummeling me when you're frozen by my telekinesis! Now, if you'll excuse me, I have-"

General Blue was interrupted again by a sudden Caulifla-branded kick to the jaw, knocking out a tooth and sending the man tumbling.

"Telekinesis won't mean squat if you can't focus on more than one opponent!" Caulifla retorted, helping her friend and ally up to his feet. The two leaped to opposite sides of the Red Ribbon officer, ready to take the man down.

General Blue only snarled, but then smirked as he pulled out two capsules from his pockets, clicked them, and from their respective 'POI' explosions came two sub-machine guns, one caught in each hand, ready to fire.

"Oh come on!" Caulifla whined, seeing this trick pulled from the man's proverbial sleeve.

"Relax!" Gokū called out to Caulifla. "We can still get the _drop_ on him!"

Caulifla took a couple of seconds to process this, and then smirked. "Couldn't agree more!"

"You two are actual fools!" General Blue laughed mockingly. "I have you two at gunpoint! What can you maggots hope to do against me?!"

Looking to either side of himself, he noticed the targets vanished. He began looking around, wondering where they had gone, only to have two hard fists crash into the back of his cranium.

"Rock!" Both cried out as they flipped the dazed man around, extended their index fingers from their fists and poked directly into the man's eyes. "Scissors!" They then allowed the general to stumble about as he held his eyes in agony before charging again with one final palm strike. "Paper!"

General Blue was sent flying and hit the cavern walls, while Gokū and Caulifla stood up grinning and holding up a victory sign.

"Okay, I take it back. That move is fun!" Caulifla said as she patted Gokū's back.

"Told ya!" Gokū replied, his trademark grin in full force.

What they failed to realize during their reverie was that General Blue's impact caused the cavern to give way even more. The crumbling continued as pebbles turned to rocks and more earthen material kept falling from the ceiling.

"Uh, guys?" Lunch called out. "I think now would be a good time for us to, as Blonde would say, 'GET THE FLIP OUT OF HERE!'"

"Gimme a sec!" Bulma responded, taking out a capsule, and tossing it to the treasure chest, capsulizing the large trunk. "Okay, let's go!"

"We still need the Dragon Ball!" Gokū retorted. "You guys go on ahead! Where is it?"

"Down in the water, but there's no time to get it!" Bulma answered as she dove into the water, making her way back to the harbor.

"Everyone for themselves!" Kuririn cried out as he began to follow Bulma, Lunch not far behind.

Gokū motioned for Caulifla to follow him as they both dove into the salt water to look for the Dragon Ball. Shuffling aside rubble with haste, Gokū had found the orb he was looking for - though it was the Three Star ball, not the Four Star ball - and tucked it into his gi. The duo then proceeded to swim to the harbor where the rest had run off to.

* * *

"We gotta get out of here!" Kuririn screamed as he narrowly avoided a falling rock.

"There's a sub over there!" Lunch shouted as she pointed towards the water. Sure enough there was a small submarine. It was old, but beggars cannot be choosers.

"What about Gokū and Caulifla?!" Bulma called out as she realized they hadn't caught up to them yet.

"I heard our names!" Caulifla yelled out as she and Gokū were running towards them.

"Bulma! Shrink!" Gokū ordered, not slowing his pace. The purple-haired genius hesitated for a moment, but complied. Once she shrunk down, Gokū scooped her up and the group all landed in the submarine's seats.

"Hang on everyone!" Lunch demanded as she started the ancient submarine and dove.

The commandeered submarine began to shuffle ahead of the collapsing cave with ease. Everyone let out a sigh of relief as the tunnel began to expand and the faintest glimmer of daylight could be seen. Their respite was not to last as the submarine's speed began to dwindle, and the engine began making unusual noises.

"Oh, no no no no no!" Lunch repeated as she wrestled with the controls. "we're out of fuel!"

"Oh crap!" the tiny Bulma exclaimed in terror. "Figures we hijacked a century-old submarine where the gasoline's gone inert!"

"Inert?" Kuririn asked, almost oblivious to the peril he and his friends were in.

"I'll explain later!" Lunch interrupted. "Everyone, hold your breaths!"

"Lunch, you don't have that move down yet!" Gokū exclaimed, catching onto the blue-haired woman's plan.

"You mean Blonde doesn't have this move down yet," Lunch retorted with a smile. "She's the better fighter, but I have better ki control! Kaaa... Meee..."

"Oh no..." Bulma muttered, knowing exactly what Lunch was about to do.

"Haaa... Meee..." Kuririn joined in the recital of the incantation, pulling his hands back as a bright blue sphere of ki amassed in his hands alongside Lunch's.

"HAAA!"

The effects were immediate as the submarine began to rocket out of the cave and into open ocean. The glass dome was long gone and the two proverbial engines adjusted the vector of their combined blast to aim upward and shoot up into the air. The moment they breached the surface of the ocean, they cut off their flow of ki and after ascending about 500 meters, they were set in a free fall.

"Kinto'un!"

Beckoned by its master's call, the somersault cloud descended from its domain to catch Gokū, Caulifla, and Lunch. Bulma was shrunken and already within Gokū's grasp and Kuririn latched onto Lunch's shoulders. After taking a few seconds to catch their breath, they all let out a good hearty laugh.

"I told you!" Lunch gently elbowed Gokū in the ribs. She was clearly out of breath, but was still conscious.

"Hey, don't think you did _all_ the work, okay?" Kuririn interrupted, still clinging to Lunch's shoulders.

"So, how many stars were in this Dragon Ball?" Bulma spoke up, still held loosely by Gokū.

"Three," Gokū confirmed. "So, do you still want to tag along?"

"Fat chance!" The tiny purple-haired girl screamed. "YOU can hunt for them all you want, but you won't be getting any of MY help, you hear me?!"

"Despite the fact that YOU wanted to come along?~" Caulifla added, a humored smirk on her face. Everyone except for Bulma chuckled at this.

"Let's head back to Kame House," Lunch suggested. "We still left the other balls with Muten Rōshi, and it would be best to have them all accounted for. I also need a little break from all this."

"Good idea," Gokū nodded as he beckoned Kinto'un to fly to Muten Rōshi's home. What the entire group failed to notice was a head of blonde hair emerge from the ocean, an sinister smirk on his face along with two items in his hands. A white device with a green grid on it in one, and an amber sphere with three stars in the other.

* * *

**A/N:** _OKAY! This chapter was not fun to write. It was in fact quite the slog to make. Water levels suck, 'Nuff said. I apologize if it seems rushed in spots, but I personally did not care for this segment as I found it tiresome. I also apologize for the wait for this chapter. The silver lining, depending on how you look at it, is that I started another fic called Mutual Exiles. Feel free to check that out as well if you're interested, and feel free to leave a review on either story. Alright, enough shameless plugging. Regarding the traversal of the cave, it was absolutely boring. The fight with General Blue however was fun, as was Goku and Caulifla's encounter with the octopus, especially given how culinarily adept they are in this timeline. Hope this was a fun read, and I'll try not to slog through the next chapter. No promises, as all this inactivity I'm being subjected to is playing into Newton's laws of motion. Regardless, hope you enjoyed this one. :)_


	16. Chapter 16: Tao Pai Pai

_**Open Ocean**_

General Blue swam for several miles in an effort to find civilized land or a boat with communications devices onboard. It wasn't long before he happened upon a small fishing boat bobbing about. Blue dove underwater as he approached the vessel, eager to jump the unsuspecting crew. He dove down a few more meters and then launched himself upward and onto the main deck of the ship, surprising everyone onboard.

"Who the Hell is this guy?" One of the fishermen cried out, grabbing a harpoon to defend himself. "This is our fishing spot! Get lost!"

"I have no interest in where you fish, fool," General blue retorted. "I need a communications device. Cell phone, radio, something with long-range capabilities. Now."

"You're gonna have to wait until we find another spot, bucko!" The captain called out from the bridge. "Seeing as how you spooked all the fish down below, we gotta search all over again!"

"Your compliance isn't a factor," General Blue sighed, as he casually knocked the harpoon out of the fisherman and kicked it into the Captain's backside, impaling the poor man. He was quick to dispatch the two other fishermen with a devastating punch to the sternum, causing his ribcage to collapse, and another by snapping the man's neck.

The general proceeded to toss the bodies into the ocean for no one to find and dusted off his hands. Surveying his appropriated vessel, he found a cell phone and inspected it. With a smile, he found that service was available and he immediately dialed a number into the keypad. Blue then held the device to his ear, and after three rings, someone had answered.

"This is General Blue. Patch me through to Red Ribbon Army Headquarters immediately," General Blue demanded, his tone forceful. "I have important news for high command."

"Sir, the attitude isn't going to speed things up one bit," The man on the other line spoke in a bored tone. "I'm gonna have to ask you to speak into the mouthpiece clearly."

"This is an old cell phone I appropriated from some fisherman. Just patch me through to command!"

"Fine, one moment. Also sir, have you heard of our premium service gold package?"

"No, I don't want a premium package! Just forward my call!"

The cell phone began to ring for a minute until it had ceased. Commander Red himself was on the line.

"Report." The Red Ribbon leader demanded, his tone showing irritation, even over the phone.

"The targets are still at large," General Blue began to elaborate. "But I was able to secure the Dragon Ball of my charge, as well as their advanced radar. I can confirm its functionality."

"I ordered you to take the Dragon Balls the targets have acquired as well, didn't I?"

"Y-Yes sir, and I am aware the targets are on the move. Unless you have other plans, I shall bring my quarry to you as soon as I can."

"See that you do, or I may have to commission Tao Pai Pai to clean up loose ends."

Commander Red had hung up, leaving General Blue absolutely stunned with fear. '_Tao Pai Pai?!'_ The general thought with visible fear. '_The world-class assassin of the Crane School?! All the more reason to return to base!'_

Blue snapped himself out of his reverie and turned the keys to the boat, bringing its engine to life. He set his heading for the nearest small airport to commandeer a jetcopter. Fortunately with this sparse archipelago, such a task was not hard.

* * *

_**Kame House**_

"WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU LOST IT?!"

Gokū winced as he was in the midst of facing what he feared since before the Tenka'ichi Budōkai: A very angry Caulifla.

"I tucked it in my shirt and when I went to check on it, it wasn't there!" Gokū apologized, holding up his hands defensively. "The cave was collapsing, and it might've slipped out during then!"

"You let one of seven super powerful relics 'slip out of your shirt?!'" Caulifla reiterated, adding air quotes for emphasis. "After all that work to find it, you let it get buried at the bottom of the ocean ALONG WITH BULMA'S DRAGON RADAR?!"

"Hey, ease up Caulifla," Bulma defended. "Making a new radar is easy for the likes of me."

"And what about digging up a shiny orange needle in a cold, soul-crushing haystack?" Caulifla retorted, glaring at the genius. "Unless you have some super mega digging machine that works wonders underwater, this whole search is screwed!"

"Not necessarily," the blue-haired Lunch suggested. "It's possible General Blue escaped with the Dragon Ball in tow. That may also mean he has the dragon radar as well, but it could very likely be broken from all the rubble."

"Plus," Bulma smiled, pulling out a capsule and opening it, revealing a large treasure chest. "We didn't leave empty-handed. So, what do you guys want to do with it?"

"I mulled over a savings account at one point," Kuririn thought aloud. "Could always do that."

"Well, it depends on how we're splitting it, really," Lunch pondered, holding her chin with one hand. "Regarding my share, I'd donate most of it to charity and keep the rest to help sate Blonde's... less than legal urges."

"Well, I'm already set," Bulma shrugged. "I don't really need more money, being from a rich family and all. What about you two?"

Bulma looked over at Gokū and Caulifla wondering what their answers were going to be.

"Well, the only thing I can think of is food and maybe some kitchen ingredients," Gokū shrugged.

Caulifla's mood was still sour, and she had no valid answer. She still had some of the winnings from the Tenka'ichi Budokai, but her mind was not focused on wealth of any sort and was currently in pout mode. Bulma took notice of this and began to formulate a plan.

"Hey, could I get a lift back home?" Bulma asked Caulifla. "My capsule case is still there, and I can build you guys a new radar there."

"Fine, but I'm not taking Gokū," Caulifla answered, causing the boy in question to hang his head in shame.

"Alright then," Bulma nodded as she activated her micro band and shrunk, allowing Caulifla to scoop her up. She boarded Kinto'un and the two girls were off. Gokū, Kuririn, and Lunch were left with little to do, other than to check up on Muten Rōshi. It wasn't until the epiphany hit Kuririn.

"Wait, why did Bulma ask Caulifla specifically to give her a ride?" The bald monk asked.

"Girl talk?" Lunch suggested with a shrug. "Caulifla was pretty upset, so maybe Bulma thought they could talk it over."

Gokū and Kuririn shrugged with this response. Having nothing better to do, Gokū suggested Kuririn join him in some bare-handed fishing to pass the time, while Lunch was too tired from launching a submarine with a Kamehameha, so she opted to sit and relax.

* * *

The trip to Bulma's home was a silent one at first. Caulifla was still pouting and Bulma wanted to make sure that Kame House was out of sight before she started talking.

"So, care to tell me what's on your mind?" The tiny Bulma asked the spiky-haired girl.

"Nothing," Caulifla lied, still brooding.

"You sure?" Bulma pressed on. "You've been mopy ever since you found out Gokū lost the Dragon Ball and the radar."

"Well there's your answer," Caulifla responded in a deadpan manner. "What kind of idiot loses two super important things like that?!"

"While trying to escape a cave that was on the verge of… well, caving in."

"That doesn't make it any better! He should be more careful!"

Bulma gave a sly grin as her suspicions seemed to be correct. "And you're sure it has nothing to do with having a crush on Gokū?~" Bulma added.

"Wha-No!" Caulifla stammered in retort, cheeks turning red. "I don't have a crush on that idiot!"

That was all Bulma needed to hear.

"I bet he knows as well.~"

"That's because I told him by accide-"

Caulifla immediately covered her mouth and her face began to turn red as a tomato, all while Bulma chuckled at this display.

"And there's my answer,~" Bulma said with a sly grin. This irritated Caulifla even further, but she quickly figured out the perfect counter to Bulma's behavior.

"Boy, you must be eager to see your parents again!" Caulifla exclaimed, her voice dripping with sarcasm. Bulma stopped chuckling and her face reflected her annoyance. "I wish I had your parents, constantly hounding me and teasing me about relationships! It sounds like a wonderful time!"

"Alright!" Bulma snapped. Caulifla smirked knowing she had won. "You made your point. ...Oh Damnit, now I don't want to go back home!"

"Your fault for teasing me," Caulifla retorted, unable to stop from smirking. "We could just call it a pit stop and you can stay with Muten Rōshi for a bit."

"Yeah, no thanks," Bulma declined with audible and visible disgust. "I'd rather not spend any more time with that perv than needed."

"He's been working on that, plus Lunch'll be there to put him in his place, right? You could also learn a thing or two in martial arts."

"You almost sound like Gokū when you say that," Bulma retorted. '_And you're certain you don't have a crush on the kid?'_ she asked mentally, a sly grin forming on her face.

"Whatever," Caulifla huffed, wanting to drop the subject on her and Gokū's 'nonexistent' relationship.

* * *

_**Red Ribbon Army Headquarters, Commander Red's Office**_

Commander Red sat at his desk observing a live feed of the world map on his personal TV screen, with Staff Officer Black standing three meters away, ever attentive. His one good eye saw that two of the Dragon Balls that were at those kids and Lunch's base had not moved. General Blue dispatched Colonel Violet to secure the quarry, but she and her company were swiftly dispatched by an old man who could turn into a giant steroid-infused monster. Violet's performance record had exempted her from termination this one time as she was on stand-by once General Blue returned with the radar and their first true acquisition. Those pests were still at large, and he was ordered to terminate them as well as return with the quarry they have stolen, but time will tell once Blue returns for a full report.

Knock knock knock.

"Who is it?" Staff Officer Black requested as he turned his head towards the door.

"General Blue, sir," The voice called from behind the door.

"Let him in," Commander Red ordered, taking the pipe from his mouth. He took his staff officer's advice to switch to a pipe instead of cigars, as he always bit down on them too much when he got angry, which was often. General Blue stepped in and offered an immediate salute, despite his attire lacking his cap and jacket.

"My sincerest apologies for my appearance, sir," General Blue began. "But I do have here the Three Star Dragon Ball, as well as the radar the targets used to track it."

General Blue gave the device a click to demonstrate its function. Immediately, a pinging noise came from the radar as the screen displayed coordinates similar to the map on Commander Red's screen, but with far greater precision than the radar system available to the organization.

"Well, I'm pleased you got results," Commander Red spun in his chair to face the taller General. "But I did order you to kill those targets and take the Dragon Balls they had already acquired, did I not?"

"Y-Yes, you did, sir," General Blue bowed. "Their martial prowess was far greater than I had anticipated, and while I understand I may be in no place to say due to my… performance, as well as thinking over my encounter with the targets, I would recommend contacting Tao Pai Pai to dispatch them."

General Blue placed the relic and respective device upon Commander Red's desk, allowing for the Red Ribbon leader to stare at them in mild awe. Red snapped himself from his reverie and turned to his subordinate. "A fair case, Blue," the Commander started, putting his pipe back into his mouth and puffing a ring of smoke. "I'll let you off easy this one time since you're the first to bring me a Dragon Ball in person. You'll be on probation until Colonel Yellow has his find secured. If he and his squad fail, I will call Tao Pai Pai then."

General Blue saluted before he turned around preparing to leave his commander's office before he was stopped again.

"In case I'm not convinced of Tao Pai Pai's skills, You will be the one to assess them should he be called. Understood?"

A cold chill ran up the blonde general's spine and a lump formed in his throat, as he immediately realized his chances of living to see another summer have shortened severely.

* * *

Gokū emerged from the ocean, sopping wet, carrying a rather large marlin over his shoulders. The sport fish would've been struggling vigorously had it not already been put down by the monkey boy. Kuririn was quick to surface to the beach shortly after, dragging a massive tuna to the shore, almost as big as the swordfish Gokū had caught.

"Hoo!" Kuririn exclaimed, proud of his catch. "You were right. That was fun!"

"I know, right?" Gokū responded with similar glee, happy with his catch. "And these fish put up more fight than the ones back home."

"How big are the fish where you live?"

"About double the size of that tuna you're carrying, but nowhere near as strong."

"You two lads have fun fishing?" Muten Rōshi asked as he stepped out of his home to see if the surf his students kicked up reached his home, which it fortunately did not.

"Yeah!" Both Turtle School students answered with glee. Kuririn spoke up again. "I will be eating like a king for the next two weeks!"

"And knowing Gokū, that marlin he's got there is the equivalent of an afternoon snack," Rōshi added, earning a chuckle from everyone present, including Gokū. The two bald martial artists and Gokū were snapped out of their reverie when a familiar voice called out from over the horizon.

"Helloooooooo!~"

Perched atop Kinto'un was Caulifla, carrying a newly constructed dragon radar in one hand and a tiny bulma calling out from the other. "One radar, fresh off the presses! I also took the liberty of improving its structure, so it should take a bit more punishment than before."

"Cool!" Gokū exclaimed as Bulma reverted to normal size. "Wait. You said you were going home after building the radar."

"Yeah, well, Caulifla here reminded me that my parents exist," Bulma sighed, slumping her shoulders in the process. "On the plus side, we know the Dragon Ball isn't at the bottom of the ocean, so that General Blue guy saved you the trouble of going back down there."

"I'm still mad at you," Caulifla growled, glaring at Gokū.

"But Bulma built a new radar, and the Dragon Ball isn't at the bottom of the ocean," Gokū retorted, scratching the back of his head.

"Yeah, well, that's just… Shut up!" Caulifla stammered, trying to find a suitable argument to use against the boy, but found none. Her face turned red from the frustration.

"You want some marlin?" Gokū offered, wondering if food would help calm the girl down. "I just caught this one a few minutes ago."

"Fine," Caulifla sighed, still glaring at the boy. "Let's prep the fish and get out of here."

Gokū nodded and proceeded to grab the large fish's prominent bill and snap it off with a very audible crack, so as to not accidentally poke anyone with it whilst carrying it around. The two then proceeded to gut and fillet the fish within Rōshi's kitchen. The Kame-Sennin in question decided to speak up. "So… Bulma," Rōshi began awkwardly. "If you're not going home-"

"I'm going to stop you right there, Gramps," Bulma interrupted, not in the mood to deal with the old man's antics. "No, I'm not going home, Yes I plan to stay here so long as Lunch keeps you in line, and No, in no way in any circle of Hell am I going to pay rent with puff-puff!"

"Hey!" Rōshi snapped back. "I was going to suggest a tiny share of that treasure chest over there as your rent as well as your fee to study martial arts if you're interested."

Bulma was taken aback by the offer. Not only did this old perv dismiss the mention of the fabled puff-puff - something she forced Oolong to endure over a year ago - but he offered training in martial arts and only asked for a share of the treasure that they found.

"Okay," Bulma mulled over aloud. "But fighting really isn't my thing. I'm more of a builder than anything else."

"Studying martial arts doesn't have to apply for combat," Rōshi elaborated. "It's a means to better one's self physically and spiritually. Fighting is merely a test of those skills. If anything, you could think of a number of uses. Lunch certainly has."

"It's true," the blue-haired Lunch nodded, reclining on a beach chair with a book. "Blonde uses the skills in combat for good these days, and I've been utilizing ki control for various tasks I once thought impossible. Unscrewing that dastardly pickle jar being the easiest thing ever now, defending yourself from scary bullies, being able to lift heavy things that required at least three people, the list goes on. Besides, if I could do it, so could you."

Bulma took a moment to digest the words fed to her. She was not keen on exercise or physical exertion, but the appeal of knocking some intrusive meat head's teeth out with ease was certainly a highlight, as well as being able to move heavy equipment around her workshop without a forklift or similar tools. Her mind then went to the vain side and speculated how it would help tone her physique. She could tell by looking at Lunch that the gains would certainly be more than practical. Her mind then shifted back to the teacher and his habits, but remembered that Lunch has a blonde side that could keep him in line.

"Alright, I'll give it a shot," Bulma shrugged. She then glared at the Kame-Sennin. "But if you try anything funny during this whole deal, I'm giving Lunch a shaker of pepper."

Lunch simply smiled at this regard while Rōshi trembled at the thought. Shortly after Bulma voiced her decision, Gokū and Caulifla emerged from the pink Kame House, the latter looking a touch more chipper than before. "You guys are off?"

"Yep!" Gokū confirmed with a nod and his trademark grin while Caulifla shrugged. "The hangry is cured and we are off to find the next Dragon Ball!"

Truth be told, Caulifla wasn't hangry in the slightest, though food was always a good way to lighten her mood. In fact, she still didn't have a logical reason as to why she was still upset. They got a new and improved dragon radar, and the Three Star ball was in General Blue's possession, who they could still easily kick the tar out of despite his telekinetic powers, so the hunt was still on. The reality was that she knew the real answer, but did not want to admit it - at least not a third time.

Caulifla was snapped out of her reverie when Gokū shouted 'KINTO'UN!' towards the sky and their mode of transportation descended to greet them. The boy hopped on first waiting for his friend to join him. Caulifla shrugged and decided to go along with it. She hopped up onto the cloud and they were off.

_**Red Ribbon Army Headquarters**_

Commander Red was fuming, having recently learned that Colonel Yellow and his company were also thwarted in retrieving the Dragon Ball located near Karin Sanctuary by a single lowly native. The Red Ribbon leader had elected to contact Tao Pai Pai at last to secure the Dragon Ball and dispatch the perpetual thorns in his side. Red was snapped from his brooding when a knock came at the door.

"Let him in," Commander Red ordered, not bothering to ask who was at the door.

The door opened and entering the office was a tall middle-aged (though his true age may come as a surprise) man with a cold expression on his face that showed he meant business. His black hair was tied into a ponytail that hung over his shoulder and was wearing simple gi robes with the kanji "殺" emblazoned on the front and in romanized text "KILL YOU" on the back. The man stepped up to Commander Red's desk and bowed courteously.

"Greetings, Commander Red," The man began in an aged shrill voice. "I am Tao Pai Pai. I understand you have need of my services?"

"That's correct," Commander Red confirmed, eager to get to business. "Most of my troops have proven incompetently lackluster in their current task. I need you to secure what is known as the Dragon Balls. Staff Officer Black!"

The man in question held out an amber jewel with seven red stars floating in the center. "This is one of them, along with another we had recently acquired. Two have been stolen from us and a third has proven well-guarded."

"I can tell that you didn't just call me here for a mere scavenger hunt, yes?" The assassin jeered under his professional tone.

"Exactly," Red nodded. "I want you to kill the two freaks that stole the two Dragon Balls from us and bring those back as well."

"Hm. You can consider it done, though my services do not come cheaply."

"The price doesn't matter. If you can do the job well, I'll pay up."

"100 million zeni per target. Collateral fatalities not included."

Staff Officer Black flinched at the staggering number the master assassin was asking for.

"Lucky for you however, this year is my 20th anniversary for my work, and all contracts until the year is up are at half price, making it only 50 million zeni."

"Huh, two for the price of one. I love it!" Commander Red cheered.

"I trust you are the real deal," Staff Officer Black speculated after hearing the man's odd business practice.

"Is that so?" Tao glared at the taller adjutant, turning his resting frown into a smirk. "Perhaps a demonstration is in order?"

"I-That will not be necessary," The staff officer stammered.

"I still want to see one just as an insurance policy," Commander Red suggested. "Call in General Blue!"

"Sir!" One of the guards at the door saluted, taking leave to go fetch General Blue.

Minutes passed before the guard returned with General Blue following behind him - now clad in officer's jacket and cap before traversing the pirate cave. The general saluted but immediately faltered when he caught a glimpse of the guest's glare.

"T-Tao Pai Pai!" General Blue squeaked, seeing the master assassin stand in the same room as himself and his superiors.

"The one and only," The man in question bowed. "Commander Red wishes to witness a demonstration of my prowess before I seek out his desired targets." He turned to Commander Red. "Should this demonstration end in a fatality, I would like to receive a kill fee, if it is all the same to you."

"Sure," Commander Red shrugged. "I want to see how you work."

"A-And what if I survive?" General Blue spoke, now worried for his life. "What happens to me then?"

"You'll continue on as usual," Red answered. "Hell, if Tao likes your gusto, I'll consider dropping your probation."

"Thank you, sir!"

Everyone moved to one of the open meeting halls, with Staff Officer Black bringing one of Commander Red's chairs for the man in question to watch in. Both combatants stood in opposite ends of the room, ready to square off before Tao spoke up.

"Tell me, which school of Martial Arts did you study with?"

"Satan Castle," General Blue answered with a smirk. Tao merely shook his head with disdain.

"No wonder you were so easily bested. That dojo is novice work at best. I can end you without either my arms or legs. I'll use my tongue."

Tao stuck out his tongue, irritating the Red Ribbon General in front of him. Staff Officer Black, playing the role of referee gave the signal for both to begin. General Blue charged forward while Tao leaned back. The assassin pointed out his tongue and lunged his head towards the side of Blue's, embedding his tongue deep into Blue's left temple, before the general collapsed into a lifeless heap. Tao spat out the dribble of blood that gathered on his tongue and chuckled. "Too easy."

"M-Money well spent," Commander Red commented with surprise and apprehension, his adjutant nodding in agreement.

"Formalities aside, who are the targets?" Tao spoke again, ready to work.

"Here is their photograph," Staff Officer Black said, handing the assassin the picture, showing Gokū and Caulifla.

"These mere children are the targets?"

"They've proven proficient in martial arts, according to the now late General Blue. From what we gathered, they're on their way to Karin Sanctuary, 2,300 kilometers to the northeast."

"Where your little task force fell prey to natives?"

"Feel free to kill them if they prove to be a nuisance," Commander Red offered. "I just want those runts dead and those Dragon Balls recovered."

"I understand," Tao nodded. "Like I said, any collateral fatalities are free of charge. 2,300 northeast, yes?"

"We have a jet ready for-"

"That will not be necessary," Tao interrupted Staff Officer Black's offer. "Traveling by conventional means would take too long." The assassin saw a large support column near the balcony of the meeting room. "Is that pillar load-bearing?"

"Uh, no, it's decorative," Commander Red answered with confusion.

Tao leaped up and tapped the top of the column and lightly kicked the base of it. He took his hands and pried the large cylinder of concrete from its points leaving an artificial stalagmite and stalactite in its place. The assassin hoisted the column over his shoulder with ease and proceeded to analyze the horizon to the northeast. "2,300 Kilometers, hm? I should be back in about… 30 minutes, give or take."

Tao Pai Pai proceeded to throw the column with great force and immediately jumped on top with precision and grace, leaving the Red Ribbon Commander and his adjutant slack-jawed at what they just saw. Commander Red then beamed with excitement. "That wish is as good as mine!"

* * *

Tao Pai Pai - Mercenary Tao

Karin Sanctuary - Sacred Land of Korin

* * *

**A/N:** _Hokay, nothing really special to say about this one. General Blue nabbed the Three Star Ball (apologies if you seem confused before my edits of last chapter) and hijacked a boat. 10 points to anyone who can guess what quote I was referencing during that scene. :P Also, Bulma training under Muten Roshi? Is she going to be a fighter?! Of course not! She's too vain to want to get all scuff'd up like that. She'll probably innovate that training to her engineering and science work. Also, the tree-surfing murderer is here at last! I have a few ideas on how to take this one, so stay tuned. Hopefully this was a fun read, and do leave a review letting me know your thoughts. :)_


	17. Chapter 17: The Master of Masters

_**Skies above Karin Sanctuary**_

Gokū and Caulifla sat aboard Kinto'un with their new dragon radar in tow, eager to find the next Dragon Ball. While they're eager to find the next ball, they're not eager about sitting in silence. Caulifla was still pouting and Gokū lacked any words to help cheer her up. Both were snapped from their musings when they heard the scream of a child up ahead. Surveying the forest floor below, a second cry out diverted their attention to the sky, where an impossibly tall and thin column was sticking out of the forest and puncturing the skies with its height.

The two caught sight of an old propeller plane piloted by a tiger man, carrying a small boy by the scruff of his vest. The plane wasn't anything special, except for the fact that the Red Ribbon insignia was plastered on the sides.

"You wanna take this one? Blow off some steam?" Gokū asked his friend.

"Sure," Caulifla accepted as she stood up. What they heard next got both of them angry.

"THROW THE BALL UP HERE AND I WON'T DROP YOUR BRAT!" The tiger man shouted to the ground below.

"Okay, that does it!" Caulifla growled, standing up and launching herself towards the small aircraft. When she gripped onto the windshield, the tiger man grimaced with surprise and fear. Caulifla gave a sinister grin at the anthropomorphized man. "Hi there."

"Oh crap!" The tiger man screamed, losing his grip on the small child. "It's one of the brats!"

"UPA!" A large tribal man down below shouted as the boy now known as Upa fell from the sky, only to be caught by a zooming yellow cloud.

"Yo!" Gokū greeted the boy with his usual jovial demeanor. "Sorry about the tumble. You alright?"

"I-I'm fine!" Upa stammered, still shook up from today's events.

"Alright, let's get you down to the ground," Gokū suggested as Kinto'un followed his orders, parking itself at the base of the monolithic tower. "There ya go!"

Upa hopped off the somersault cloud and ran over to the larger man. "Father!" The child screamed as the man scooped him up with a genuine smile on his face. The moment was interrupted by the sound of a plane crashing a kilometer away and Caulifla landing gracefully next to Gokū.

"The Yellow Baron should be out for a few hours," Caulifla said, gesturing a thumb in the direction of the crashed plane. A loud explosion racked the area a few seconds later from the same direction, causing both monkey children to flinch and wince. Caulifla scratched the back of her head nervously, almost in a similar manner to Gokū. "...Assuming he's still alive after that."

"He and his comrades have made the error of disgracing this hallowed ground with their wanton hostility," The large man stated before smiling at the two visitors. "I can tell you two are nothing like them, and I thank you for saving my son Upa. My name is Bora, guardian of Karin Sanctuary."

"It was nothing, really," Gokū replied, now scratching the back of his own head, as he is known for. "The guy in the plane mentioned a ball. Is it orange with stars floating inside?"

"Yes," The man now known as Bora confirmed, holding the small sphere outward. "To cause so much sacrilege over such a small trinket seems odd."

Gokū looked at the sphere intently, counting the number of stars floating inside. One, Two, Three…

"My grandpa's Dragon Ball!" Gokū exclaimed with glee. "If it's no trouble, may we have it?"

"You have some attachment to this object?" Bora inquired. "That still leaves me to wonder why those men were after it."

"There's seven in total," Caulifla explained. "Gather all seven and you can summon a dragon to grant any wish, and since we've run into these guys before, we can tell you for sure they have bad plans for 'em."

"I don't really have a wish in mind, and I'm only after the one with four stars," Gokū elaborated. "Caulifla here is curious to see what happens when they're gathered. This one with four stars was my grandpa's before he died, and keeping it out of those Red Ribbon guys' hands is a great bonus."

"Well, since you've saved my son, and I sense no ill will, you may have it," Bora smiled, lowering the amber sphere to Gokū, who gladly took it and tucked it into his gi.

"If you don't mind me asking, what's with the giant pole?" Caulifla asked, now curious about the obvious landmark. It was a large totem pole that put the term skyscraper to absolute shame, with several elaborate effigies of various animals carved into its trunk as it pierced the heavens.

"That?" Bora turned to the totem in question. "That is the sacred tower of Karin extending to the heavens. It is said that those who climb to the top with their bare hands will find a hermit master living at its zenith. If one drinks the holy water proffered by said master - the Chōshinsui, as it is called - their strength will become legendary. My clan are guardians who have defended this totem for generations."

"Whoa…" Gokū gaped at the impressive height of the tower. "Have you ever tried climbing it?"

"Once when I was little," Bora answered. "But I did not succeed. I do not believe anyone has, though my grandfather mentioned one who had success centuries ago, but I cannot say for certain."

"So, the climb is a sort of test?" Caulifla mused. "Since you have to climb with your bare hands, I'm guessing Kinto'un's help would be out of the question."

"I kinda wanna try to climb it now," Gokū muttered, now mildly excited about the challenge presented to him. "I got what I came for, so I don't see why not. Caulifla?"

"I'd be lying if I said I wasn't curious," Caulifla shrugged, still looking up at the tower's height. "And this Chōshinsui stuff sounds-"

"Father!" Upa cried out pointing at the horizon. "What's that?! It's flying this way!"

Everyone turned their gaze to where Upa was pointing. At first it looked like a mere speck, but it quickly grew, showing that it was a large concrete pole with a man standing on top, his gaze cold and unwavering. Everyone jumped out of the way as the column impacted the earth as the man launched it into the ground with his feet before landing gracefully on the end of it.

"Hello," The man greeted with a shrill voice.

"Who are you?!" Bora shouted, displeased by this intruder's entrance.

"I am the world's greatest assassin, Tao Pai Pai," The man introduced with a sinister smirk.

"Assassin? What business does a killer like you have here?" Bora questioned, putting his guard up.

"I have no business with this place, but with the two children with tails over there."

"Don't tell me: Red Ribbon?" Caulifla asked in a deadpan manner as she squared up.

"Perceptive, aren't you?" Tao Pai Pai confirmed. "I've been hired to kill you and take the plunder my employers have been frothing over."

"You guys are really stubborn, you know that?" Gokū shouted, also squaring up.

"Feh," The assassin spat. "The truly stubborn ones are you, trying to fight a world-class assassin. Unless my eyes deceive me, your gis appear to be in the style of the Turtle School, correct?"

"You will not be killing them, or anyone here on these grounds," Bora threatened the assassin, his tone dark. "These two saved my son's life, and it is my duty to defend these grounds, especially from the likes of you."

"Are you sure about that?" Gokū asked, slightly worried. "This guy gives me bad vibes."

"I am," Bora nodded as he picked up a large spear and faced the intruder. "This madness ends now."

"So you have a death wish, do you?" Tao smirked devilishly. "So be it."

"Good luck father!" Upa cheered from behind a tree while Gokū and Caulifla stood, ready to jump in if things became dire. Tao made the first move and immediately grabbed Bora's spear, surprising the duo with his speed. The tribeman struggled to move his spear while Tao was completely unfazed. It was easy to hear the wood of the spear crackling and groaning under Bora's grip, meaning that he was not feigning weakness in the slightest.

"What's the matter?" The assassin asked in a mocking tone. "You're not moving at all. Allow me to move you if you won't move yourself."

Tao, with a single hand, lifted the spear, and Bora along with him, with absolute ease and sent the native man flying upwards. Gokū, Caulifla, and Upa especially were shocked at this effortless display of strength. The assassin spun the spear around, aiming the arrowhead upwards and he grinned with murderous delight.

"Would you like this back?" Tao shouted as he threw the spear upwards at the airborne Bora.

"No!" Gokū and Caulifla exclaimed in unison. "KINTO'UN!"

The somersault cloud rushed to its masters' commands to try and catch Bora and carry him away from the oncoming projectile, but arrived too late as the pole went right through the man as he fell to the ground with a loud thud, snapping an end of the spear off with the impact.

"FATHER!" Upa cried out, tears filling the little boy's eyes as he raced over to Bora's side. Gokū and Caulifla meanwhile were shocked and absolutely angry.

"YOU... BASTARD!" Gokū cursed with a roar as he charged towards Tao Pai Pai, fist outstretched, only for the man to jump up and avoid his attack completely and kick him into the large totem, knocking the wind out of him.

"Is that all?" Tao asked in a mocking tone. Gokū slowly pushed himself up, impressing the assassin with his resilience. "Well now. Still alive eh?"

"You won't be after this!" Caulifla shouted as she cupped her hands to her side. "Ka… Me… Ha… Me…"

"That incantation…" Tao muttered, eyes widening ever so slightly at what this girl was about to do.'

"HAAAA!"

Caulifla thrust her hands forward and unleashed the Turtle School's patented technique upon the assassin. He quickly rose his forearms to his face to try and block the blast. When the light died down, Caulifla panted, having launched the technique without proper build-up, only to see that her target, besides his clothes being burnt to shreds, was completely unscathed.

"So you are students of the turtle school, eh?" Tao commented with a small smile, before it warped into a furious scowl. "You also ruined my favorite gi…"

"Oh crap…" Caulifla muttered, seeing this man shrug off the Kamehameha with ease and looking no worse for wear. The now indecent assassin extended his index finger, pointing directly at Caulifla with cold intent.

"DODONPA!"

A narrow orange beam of ki shot outward from his finger like a gun, aimed directly at Caulifla. Before she could react, Gokū jumped in front and took the brunt of the blast, burning the turtle kanji away from his gi and knocking him back into Caulifla's frame, and knocking the wind right out of her. The two fell into a motionless heap. Upa watched this development with fear in his eyes as the assassin picked up the bag Gokū was carrying, looking inside to inspect its contents.

"Orange spheres with red stars," Tao muttered with a grin. "And two targets down with one shot. I impress even myself sometimes. Still, I cannot return to my contractors looking like this. Time to go find a tailor.~"

"You… monster!" Upa stammered out, slowly picking up a rock. "You killed my father and my two friends!"

With all the strength he could muster, the boy threw the rock directly at Tao, who was uprooting the support beam he arrived on, only to turn his head and literally blow the rock back at the boy.

"Ha, You should be lucky to be alive," Tao retorted with sardonic humor. "You should be thanking me, really!"

With that, Tao aimed the large concrete cylinder and threw it into the air before jumping on top, carrying the pilfered bag in hand. As soon as he was long out of sight, Caulifla began to stir from underneath Gokū. She let out a tired groan as she propped herself up, only to spring right to her feet when she saw Gokū not moving.

"Gokū!" She screamed, rushing over to check his pulse. Much to her horror, it was not there. Thinking quickly, she placed her hands on his chest and proceeded to press down with swift rhythmic jolts to get his blood pumping, amplifying the compressions with her own ki to try and defibrillate the boy. "C'mon, c'mon! Don't be dead!"

Tears threatened to well up in her eyes as he was still not breathing. Taking a deep breath, Caulifla gently opened the boy's jaw and locked her lips with his, forcing her lung air into his. After two seconds, Gokū began to cough and sputter, and the girl pulled back and sighed with relief. Caulifla then pulled him in for a relaxed hug.

"Oh thank God you're alright!" Caulifla sobbed out, now letting her pent up emotions flow forth. Gokū sat there mildly confused as to what happened. A sharp discomfort in his left side ribs caused him to reach for it, only to pull out the four star Dragon Ball from where he was struck. Looking down upon the amber relic he began to wonder.

"Did… Did my grandpa save my life?" Gokū muttered, causing Caulifla to push back her hug with confusion, only to remember the boy's attachment to the four star ball.

"Huh," Caulifla eyed the amber jewel within Gokū's hand, her breath still shaky. "If that wasn't there, you might've had a hole run through you."

"But, what happened exactly?" Gokū inquired. "I remember I jumped in to take that shot, but everything went dark after."

"Your… Your heart stopped for a moment," Caulifla strained out, causing Gokū to flinch ever so slightly. "You're lucky I was here to revive you when you were out. Speaking of, why did you take that shot?"

"I'm… not quite sure," Gokū shrugged. "I knew that Tao guy was strong, since he tanked a Kamehameha no problem, so any attacks by him would've been lethal. I guess deep down I was probably banking on Sushinchu to block the blast."

"But, to stick your neck out for me?" Caulifla asked, unsure of what to think of the situation.

Before Gokū could come up with an answer, the patting of dirt with a shovel caught his ear, and he turned to see Upa mourning over his father's grave. The spiky-haired boy's gaze harshened to a degree not seen often as he looked down at the Dragon Ball clutched within his hand, pondering what to do next. He then turned to caulifla with a question.

"You said we could figure out a wish down the road, right?" Gokū asked his friend, leaving her slightly confused. "I say we have it. We'll gather all seven and revive Upa's father."

Upa snapped from his depressive reverie and turned to Gokū with surprise and astonishment. "You can do that?!"

"It's worth a shot, right?" Gokū answered with a determined grin. "Shenlong should be able to grant any wish. Who's to say reviving those who were killed is out of the question?"

"Hold up a sec!" Caulifla interrupted the celebration of this plan. "That Tao jerk ran off with the Dragon Balls after he kicked our butts effortlessly! And even if we gather them, I'm still skeptical about what Shenlong will do when we specify the wish!"

"Well, he didn't take this one," Gokū retorted, holding Sushinchu out for all to see. "He'll be back, but in the meantime…"

Gokū looked up at the massive totem, and soon Caulifla caught on to what the boy was planning. Upa was first to voice his opinions. "Of course! The Hermit Master's Chōshinsui!"

Caulifla's initial curiosity regarding the tower was piqued once more and she looked up at the tower with a challenging grin. "If it means we can kick that assassin's butt after this, I'm more than game!"

"So, the rule is to climb without any extra help?" Gokū asked Upa, just to make sure.

"Yes," The tribal boy nodded. "The master up top can make sure."

"I suggest you go hide in case that Tao guy shows up again," Caulifla warned Upa, who nodded and ran off.

"Welp, no time like the present!" Gokū cheered as he leaped up the tower with a blur of speed, Caulifla following close behind him. It did not take very long for the duo to go out of sight as they climbed the heaven-scraping obelisk. By the time they were well above the clouds, Caulifla felt compelled to speak up. "Hey Gokū?"

"What's up?" Gokū asked. "Well, besides our destination, that is."

Caulifla couldn't help but chuckle at the joke, but pushed the humorous thought aside to ask her question. "Well, probably a bad time to ask since we're climbing a giant totem pole, but you didn't answer my question before."

"Which que-Oooh right, why I jumped in to take that ki blast!" Gokū began to ask until the epiphany hit him.

"Well?"

"Well," Gokū began with a touch of hesitation. "I know you can handle your own fights, but… seeing as how that Tao guy had you beat by tanking your blast and he came here specifically to kill us, I didn't want him to kill you."

Gokū's cheeks began to tint a shade of red as he hesitated a bit more. "I uh, also, might… have a crush… Oh-hey-look-at-the-time-we-should-keep-climbing!"

Gokū bolted up the tower with new energy, not born of excitement but nervousness, leaving Caulifla visibly surprised and confused. He had a crush on her? Caulifla knew she let slip that she herself had a crush on the boy shortly before the Tenka'ichi Budōkai and Bulma was now privy to her secret, but Gokū felt the same way towards her? She pondered what Gokū said for a few seconds before realizing she was now lagging behind. Not wanting to be left out of the prospects of the Chōshinsui, she steeled herself and began vaulting up the totem up to the top.

* * *

_**1 day later**_

Gokū and Caulifla had been climbing for what felt like an eternity. Night had fallen at some point and they had to rest, all while clinging to the impossibly tall totem for dear life. When dawn broke, they resumed their climb, not without any slips of grip, of which they were quick to recover, thanks to their tails. Both looked up to see if there was anything different, only to see more animal effigies with each rung of the totem they climbed.

"This… This tower is nuts!" Gokū gasped, desparate for air.

"Are you… saying that… because we passed… some squirrel carvings... a little while ago?" Caulifla joked in between tired gasps for air.

"Ha… Ha…" Gokū sarcastically laughed, emphasized by his heavy breathing.

Caulifla ignored the sarcasm in Gokū's haggard laugh and trekked onward, every fiber in her arms and legs wanting to give out. She looked up to see if progress was being made and saw something different. At the zenith where the tower's top would normally vanish, she saw something else. As she climbed up, it seemed to get bigger. "Gokū?" She asked with a sigh. "Am I hallucinating, or does that look like the top?"

"Huh?" Gokū turned to look upwards and saw the difference she was seeing, growing larger with each inch higher he climbed. Elation soon filled his body at what he was seeing. "I think you're right!"

The two proceeded to hasten their climb upwards and were sure enough rapidly approaching a large pod atop the tower, resembling an onion almost, with 4 port holes at its base, perfect for them to climb through. Gokū and Caulifla picked out a port hole to climb through and, while using their tails as leverage, clambered through and onto solid ground for what felt like ages. The two panted, trying to catch their breath, grinning the entire time. "We… made it!"

"Let's look for that Chōshinsui!" Gokū suggested with renewed vigor. Looking around the room they were in, there was a bathtub next to a decorated changing partition, a bed on the opposite side of the chamber, and various urns with different labels on them.

"Now, if I were a mystical power-granting holy water, where would I be?" Caulifla asked aloud as she looked around.

"Maybe you should try upstairs!" A mysterious voice called out from above, startling the two children.

"Oh right," Gokū sighed with relief. "The hermit master lives here."

"Well, might as well introduce ourselves, right?" Caulifla suggested with a shrug.

The two followed a stairwell that was just outside and upward. At the top was a large gazebo that made up the majority of the tower itself. At the center was an ornate effigy of several elephants holding up a well-decorated flask with their trunks. Beyond that was a short, pudgy blue cat with a wooden cane, its eyes squinted so tightly, they might as well have been closed.

"Congratulations on climbing all the way up here," The cat spoke, surprising the two children. "Even more impressive is that you didn't assist each other on the climb. You two squirts made great time."

"'Squirt?'" Gokū repeated, his expression blank as paper. "You're shorter than either of us."

"Okay, shot in the dark, but are you the Hermit Master?" Caulifla asked, looking at the cat quizzically.

"The very same," The cat nodded, earning a surprised look from Caulifla and Gokū, the latter moreso. The both proceeded to bow and greet politely. "Well, it's nice to see you two have manners. Yes, I am the Hermit Master Karin. Or if you're feeling silly, Hermit _Meowster_.~"

Gokū stifled a snort at the light humor the cat was displaying while Caulifla rolled her eyes at the pun. The former began speaking again.

"Jokes aside, we came here looking for this Chōshinsui stuff," Gokū explained. "We heard it can make us stronger by several fold."

"Huh," Karin mulled as he scratched his chin. "Haven't heard that name for quite a bit. It's in that flask on top of the podium right over there."

The cat pointed his cane at the ornate flask resting in the center of the gazebo. "Though you two are seeking even greater strength? You guys seem strong enough as it is."

"It's a long story," Caulifla began. "You see-"

"Save your words," Karin interrupted. "You don't have to explain."

"Whuh?" Caulifla retorted, somewhat slack-jawed. "But you asked."

"Really! You don't have to say a word!"

The three stood in silence for a moment, uneasy as to what Karin was going on about. The blue cat then simply nodded and hummed in understanding.

"So you came here to gain the strength to defeat this assassin, Tao Pai Pai?" Karin explained. "And then you'll seek out the Dragon Balls to revive Upa's father, Bora?"

"Wha-How'd you figure that out?!" Gokū stammered out, absolutely stunned that this talking cat figured out the whole story.

"Ha! If I couldn't read minds, I'd make for a very lousy hermit master, now wouldn't I?" Karin laughed. "Well, I'm pleased to see your motives are pure. You two are free to take from the flask."

"Really?" The two exclaimed in disbelief as they walked over to the podium.

"Indeed," Karin nodded. "That is, if you can get to it."

In a swift blur, the pudgy blue cat swung his cane and upset the footing of both children, causing them to backpedal away from the podium.

"Of course there's a catch!" Caulifla groaned. "There's always a catch when it looks too easy!"

"If you want the contents of the flask, then take it!" Karin light-heartedly offered, but the two were onto his game.

"Oh, I get it," Gokū muttered, coming to the same realization as Caulifla. "This is a test, and if we get the water, we pass, right?"

"Yep!" Karin confirmed, pleased to see that the two caught on so quickly. The cat hermit slipped the pointed end of his cane through the flask's handle and shook it in a taunting fashion. "Now the question is, do you have the perseverance to succeed?"

The duo charged at Karin, eager to claim the Chōshinsui nonchalantly dangling from his cane, but with each attempt to grab the ornate flask, the cat was three steps ahead of them, dodging their efforts with ease. Gokū and Caulifla's respective frustrations began to mount ever so slightly as the blue-furred hermit playfully dodged their efforts. Eventually they were both run ragged, gasping for air once again.

"Tired already?" Karin commented, seeing the two desperately trying to fill their lungs with oxygen. "At this rate you'll get me after a second lifetime!"

"Hungry…" Gokū gasped as he buckled to his knees. "Need… Food…"

"Oh, silly me!" Karin chuckled. "I forgot you two were climbing my tower for a whole day. Here, for your troubles."

The cat flicked two small objects over to the duo, and each caught them, only to see that Karin had given them each a tiny green bean.

"Are you serious right now?" Caulifla questioned incredulously. "This is just a bean!"

"'Just a bean' she says!" Karin laughed. "Some folks received divine punishment for such remarks. That's no ordinary bean, lass. That is a Senzu bean! One of those and you'll be sated for 10 days! Though from what I could gather about your appetites, it might keep you fed for just one day."

Gokū sniffed it and shrugged, chowing down on the bean and soon inspecting its taste. "Kinda tastes like fish," He surmised. "Though cats like fish, so I shouldn't be surprised."

Gokū swallowed the bean, and suddenly all of the fatigue he felt earlier had vanished, and his stomach felt full - fuller than it had ever been. The boy turned to Caulifla with excitement. "He's not kidding! I feel great!"

Caulifla proceeded to eat the bean she was given, and had similar musings about the taste. The moment she swallowed, she felt the same rejuvenation Gokū had just experienced, and was now excited to claim that flask.

"Whoo! Suck it kale, you busch-league super food!" Caulifla exclaimed with jubilation.

* * *

_**Unknown location**_

"Uh, aaaah, AaaaAACHOO!" A girl wearing strange red armor let out a massive sneeze. She sniffled, trying to understand what caused such an abrupt sneeze.

"What's the matter? Catching a cold?" An older gruff voice mockingly teased the girl as she sniffed to clear her sinuses.

"I… think someone's talking about me," The girl meekly responded.

* * *

"So, you wanna try again?" Karin asked, slightly shaking the flask from his cane.

"Bring it!" Gokū exclaimed, now pumped. "That flask is as good as ours!"

The duo charged at the master once more, trying to grab the Chōshinsui flask from the master's cane, but each attempt was met with failure as the pudgy cat dodged each attempt with ease. What seemed like hours had passed, and the duo were on opposite sides of Karin, charging at the master, only for him to deftly leap up, and have the two smash into each other. The cat watched this development with amusement as Gokū and Caulifla quickly recomposed themselves, a tint of red in their face, not looking at each other. More time had passed, and eventually the two monkey children were laying on their backs, gasping for air like they did at the start.

"Tired already?" Karin commented, seeing them tired once more.

"We're… We're not the first up here, are we?" Gokū groaned as he propped himself up.

"Nope, you're certainly not the first," Karin nodded. "In fact, the last one who was able to scale my tower was here 300 years ago."

"H-How old are you?" Caulifla asked, dumbfounded at the number Karin just casually listed off.

"Mmmmm, About 800-something?" Karin answered, leaving the two absolutely slack-jawed. "I kinda lost track about half a millennium ago.~"

"Well, if it's worth anything, you've aged well," Caulifla commented, seeing an 800+ year old cat before her.

"Why thank you lass,~" Karin chuckled at the compliment. "As for the one who showed up 3 centuries ago, I think you both know him, judging by your style. Something to do with a weighted turtle shell perhaps?"

"Wait… Wawawawawawaaaaait…" Gokū paused, raising his hands up for emphasis. "Are you telling me that-"

"Yep, Muten Roshi was my last visitor here," Karin nodded, leaving the duo even more surprised than before.

"So, he came here forever ago and drank the water?!" Gokū stammered, earning a nod from Karin. "Well, Sorry for not paying proper respect earlier, Master Karin."

The duo bowed while Karin cracked a smile - at least what can be considered a smile with the face of a cat.

"So, how long did it take Muten Roshi to claim that flask?" Caulifla asked, now wondering how long it took their teacher. Karin simply raised three claws. "Three minutes?" The cat shook his head. "Three days?"

"No," Karin shook his head again. "Three years."

* * *

Dodonpa - Dodon Ray

Chōshinsui - Ultra Divine Water

Karin - Korin

* * *

**A/N:** _Hookay! This was a fun one! Again, I apologize for the lack of updates. Inertia - or the lack thereof - is an absolute bitch. Anyways, Tao shows up and curb-stomps our monkey duo, and they meet up with our favorite wonder cat! (I can tell some harmony gold haters are going to eat my limbs for that one) Even better, the magical beans are here at last! The TFS quote was too good to pass up, along with the sneeze joke. That said, I do have plans down the road.~ That aside, more feelings have been made known, only this time by Goku of all people! Hope this was a fun read for everyone, and hopefully inertia will persist for the foreseeable future. :)_


	18. Chapter 18: Tao Pai Pai - Round 2

_**Karin Tower**_

"T-T-Three years?!" Both Gokū and Caulifla stammered out in pure disbelief.

"It took Muten Rōshi Three years to nab that flask from you?!" Gokū reiterated, making sure he heard the story correctly.

"Correct," Karin nodded.

"We don't have that kind of time!" Caulifla cried out, absolutely flabbergasted at what this cat was suggesting. "It took us 8 months of training and our tails growing back to get on his level during the Tenka'ichi Budokai!"

"Well, you'll never know if you don't try, right?" Karin retorted, shaking the flask from his cane in a taunting manner. Much to his delight, the goading caught the attention of both children.

"Oh, it's on now!" Caulifla smirked, accepting the challenge laid out before the ancient cat.

The two proceeded to bolt around the gazebo and surround the hermit master, leaving several after-images in their wake in an attempt to daze him. Karin picked one and proceeded to jump for it, only for the illusion to fade as he phased through it, and the duo diving down from behind with eager grins on both of their faces…

...Only for Karin to deftly leap out of the way, sending them careening to the floor, and the two of them hitting their heads rather painfully.

"Nice try kiddos!" Karin laughed. "I know how to work around the good ol Zanzoken technique and throw it back at ya!" '_These two are pretty good. To leave behind so many after-images at once is quite the feat I haven't seen before… This could be interesting…'_

The duo panted heavily as they pushed themselves to their feat, Gokū speaking up first. "Why am I… out of breath already?"

"Altitude, lad," Karin answered with a chuckle. "Since we're so high up, the air is thinner than what you're used to."

The blue cat gestured his cane towards his pupils. "And when the air is thin, wasting movement in your attacks will cost you stamina, and by extension, leave you gasping for air like you are now."

"Soo… we have to hold back, conserve our stamina?" Caulifla theorized.

"Not quite," Karin corrected. "The aim is to conserve stamina, but not hold back either. What you should try to accomplish is not to overshoot."

The duo folded their arms and pondered the words fed to them. "That said, your climb up here has also helped condition your lungs for a thinner atmosphere. We just need to add to that conditioning is all."

Karin then outstretched a paw, and in his grip was a satchel - the very same one that held Gokū's four star Dragon Ball - much to his surprise and dismay.

"H-How did you get that?!" Gokū stammered out in pure surprise. "Give it back!"

"Okay, but you'll have to go get it,~" Karin responded, a cheeky tone in his voice that irritated both children greatly. What he did next spurred them into a mad frenzy, as he tossed the bag over the side of the gazebo and down to the world below. Gokū and Caulifla quickly jumped down with a vault, climbing down the tower with newfound speed to retrieve the nonchalantly discarded Dragon Ball.

"What in the hell was he thinking?!" Gokū cried out as he vaulted down the tower.

"Does he not realize what'll happen if the Red Ribbon gets a hold of it?!" Caulifla snarled as she raced down the tower.

It was not long before the base of the tower was in sight, and the two landed with a heavy thud, looking for the fallen bag. Much to Gokū's delight, it had fallen just a few meters from the base of the tower, and the relic was still inside. The boy's delight fell to infuriation as he looked back up the tower.

"When I get my hands on that cat, I'm gonna yank his whiskers off!" Gokū growled as he began climbing up the tower at unparalleled speed. Well, unparalleled except by Caulifla, who was just as livid as her friend. By the time they reached the top, they were once again out of breath and staring daggers at the blue cat, who seemed unfazed.

"Welcome back, you two,~" Karin greeted, a hint of playfulness in his voice.

"WHAT'S THE BIG IDEA?!" Caulifla shouted in frustration. "Just throwing the Dragon Ball off the edge like that?!"

"What, you don't appreciate the training I just put you through?" Karin retorted, his expression unfazed, leaving the two confused as to what he meant. "It took you a whole day to get up here the first time, but you two managed to pull off a round trip within three hours. If that's not progress, I don't know what is."

The two stood in silence as they looked at their hands with odd wonder. They did just climb up and down the tower in a fraction of the time it took in the first place, and it was indeed a round trip. All the while, Karin was pondering his new students, his blank face betraying his inner thoughts. '_Those two are truly something else. Muten Rōshi took a month to make a similar round trip after I tossed one of his magazines overboard. I wonder if it has anything to do with their heritage? Questions for later I suppose…'_

"Alright, back to business," Karin called out, pointing once again to the ornate flask hanging from his cane. "Try to nab the Chōshinsui from me."

"Alright!" Both children agreed with renewed vigor, as they worked to claim the Chōshinsui flask from Karin. The monkey children kept at it until the sun began to set over the horizon. The two were once again lying on their backs, burning from exhaustion.

"Alright, we'll call it there for today," Karin announced to his ragged students. "Let's get some shut-eye, shall we?"

With that, the blue cat slumped along one of the columns of the gazebo and shortly after, snored very loudly, all while the duo began to drift off, fatigue beginning to grip them, but Gokū sat up, wanting to try one more thing. This did not go unnoticed by Caulifla, as she noticed her friend tip-toeing over to where Karin was adrift in slumber. The boy slowly reached for the flask that was dangling from the hermit master's cane, but hesitated for a moment.

"Nah," Gokū whispered, as he retracted his hands from the flask. "That would be too easy. I want to work for this."

"Couldn't agree more," Another whisper assaulted the boy's ears, who turned to see it was Caulifla.

"Caulifla?" Gokū exclaimed in a hushed manner. "Were you gonna try and nab it while he's sleeping too?"

"Well, I was considering it, but decided against it. Besides…" Caulifla admitted before hesitating and looking away from the boy, a faint blush forming on her cheeks. "I… just wanted to say, thank you, for saving my life yesterday."

A similar blush formed on Gokū's face as he nervously scratched the back of his head. "Oh, uh, it was nothing, really," Gokū chuckled nervously. "If anything, I should be thanking you for reviving me."

The two stood in awkward silence for a minute trying to avoid eye contact with one another, before Gokū quietly cleared his throat to break the silence. "Uh, w-well, we should get some sleep."

"Y-Yeah," Caulifla hastily nodded before the two of them fell back to their slumber.

Unbeknownst to them both, Karin was very much awake and witnessed the entire ordeal. '_N'aww, those two are adorable,'_ Karin mused within his mind. '_And they're both quite the honest warriors as well. A welcome step in the right direction compared to their previous mentor.'_

* * *

_**Two days later**_

Over the course of two days, Gokū and Caulifla had improved considerably. Their pauses for respite had become shorter and further between as their endurance was built up to accommodate the thin atmosphere. All the while Karin was beginning to struggle to keep the decorated flask out of their grips. The two had come close on a few occasions, but never succeeded. Karin also tossed the Dragon Ball two more times over the edge, and the two, while certainly not thrilled with how their master was treating the relic, climbed down and back up each time, their newfound endurance shaving the round trip down to a mere half hour in the end.

"Alright!" Gokū exclaimed, taking a fortified stance, Caulifla following suit. "We're getting that flask today!"

"Good luck with that," Karin nodded, no edge of sarcasm or mockery present in his voice.

The two launched forward in an attempt to grab either the cane, the flask, or both, from their feline mentor. While the two were certainly struggling to take the items in question, Karin was now on the back foot doing all he could to keep the flask out of their reach. Suddenly Caulifla vanished from the cat's field of view while Gokū deviously smirked and began to tickle the furball's belly, causing him to lose focus as well as grip on his cane. As soon as Karin realized his grip was slacking, Gokū threw up a kick to the pointed end of his cane, knocking it clean out of his hands, where Caulifla jumped in and grabbed the flask, landing gracefully and holding it up in triumph

"YEAH!" Caulifla cheered in celebration. "We got it!"

"Alright!" Gokū cheered in response. "And we beat Rōshi's record with less than 3 years to spare!"

"Hold your horses!" Karin interrupted, breaking the duo from their cheering. "You may have gotten the flask, but only one of you can have it."

The two immediately began to frown.

"I'm just kidding!" Karin laughed, causing the two to comically fall backwards in exasperation, but they couldn't help but smile. The hermit master then pulled out two clay cups and held them out. "You two are surprisingly coordinated, and I think you've earned the right to drink up."

Caulifla beamed with a big smile as she uncorked the flask and poured out the water into the two cups. She and Gokū took a cup and toasted to their victory, chugging their portions of water down completely, exhaling with a satisfied sigh. Their satisfaction soon warped to confusion as they looked at themselves, wondering if something was supposed to happen.

"Huh," Gokū hummed curiously as he inspected himself. "I don't feel any different."

"That's because you two drank simple rainwater," Karin answered, causing the two to sputter with surprise.

"R-Rainwater?!" Caulifla stammered with surprise and frustration. "So it was a myth after all?!"

"You duped us?!" Gokū exclaimed, now visibly irritated. "We spent three days chasing a well-decorated flask of rainwater?!"

"Oh come now!" Karin retorted, smiling the entire time. "I never said the Chōshinsui _alone_ was going to increase your strength several fold!"

The duo's collective temper began to cool somewhat as Karin now had their attention.

"Believe it or not, all that chasing me around and round trips down and up my tower was training in disguise! The promise of magic water was just a key to get you going is all. I daresay your individual prowess could defeat this Tao Pai Pai character with ease now."

At first the duo were surprised. This whole time, chasing a blue cat was actually training in disguise. Then they felt excitement. Their strength had increased by several fold thanks to the hermit master's discrete training. They then felt a welling eagerness to test their newfound strength on the monster that assailed them three days ago.

"I'm sorry I doubted you, sir," Caulifla apologized, followed by Gokū.

"Think nothing of it, lass," Karin waved off. "Go down to the world below and put your new skill to the test."

The two gave a small bow as they began to go downstairs to begin their descent, until Gokū paused for a moment.

"Oh!" Gokū exclaimed. "I almost forgot!"

"Oh yeah!" Caulifla nodded. "We still gotta do that!"

"Hm?" Karin hummed, now confused.

Before Karin could peek into their minds to find out what they were thinking, Gokū rummaged through his gi and pulled out his capsule case, pulling out a capsule and tossing it to the ground before it exploded with its trademark 'POI' revealing a table with several delightfully seasoned fillets of grilled marlin, sided with bowls of fried rice and dumplings, and a platter of sticky rice cakes sprinkled with shaved coconut for dessert.

"We didn't feel right staying here without some form of payment," Gokū clarified. "And we figured you might want a change of pace in terms of food from what I can guess is a diet mostly of those senzu beans."

Karin stared at the table of food with a blank expression, but his expression was soon betrayed by a small dribble of saliva rolling down his chin, and a slight purr rumbling from his throat. The blue cat took a small sniff, and the small dribble soon developed into an open-mouthed waterfall of culinary lust. Karin quickly snapped himself out of his food-centric reverie and turned to his two pupils and cleared his throat.

"Well, truth be told, I wasn't expecting payment of any kind," Karin elaborated, now feeling a tad bashful for the unsightly display he had just made. "I train folks mostly based on their merit as a person."

"Well, consider it a 'thank you' gift for training us!" Caulifla retorted, giving a warm grin and thumbs up.

"You two are truly something else," Karin commented, smiling the whole time. "Good luck down there. Oh, and say hello to Muten Rōshi for me, if you get the chance."

The two bowed and proceeded to make their way down the tower. Once Karin was left alone in his gazebo, he turned to the table of food with newfound hunger and proceeded to dine like he had not done in centuries.

* * *

_**Karin Sanctuary**_

Upa peeked out from behind a tree and looked around to see if there was any sign of Tao. Fortunately he still has not come back. With a tomahawk in one hand, he surveyed the skies to make sure that Tao wasn't coming in riding a stone column or perhaps a tree. No signs of his approach were apparent, so he stepped out and approached the massive totem pole, awaiting Gokū and Caulifla's return.

"They've been up there for three days now…" Upa muttered to himself, looking up at the totem's zenith. "I wonder if they made it to the top?"

Upa was snapped from his musings when a very loud and very close crash came from a few meters behind him. The boy turned around, and much to his horror, it was the same man who had murdered his father, his hands folded behind his back, and his unorthodox method of travel skewering the soil next to him.

"Where are the graves of those brats?" Tao demanded, his gaze as cold as ever. "I appear to be missing a Dragon ball, and I know one of those two had it. Now tell me where they are."

Upa responded by throwing his tomahawk at Tao's head, only for the master assassin to casually tilt his head to the side, leaving the axe flying for hundreds of meters. Tao responded to this attack by lightly kicking at the boy's feet, upsetting his balance. Before he could fall, the assassin grabbed Upa's throat in a vice and held him aloft, much to the boy's futile struggle.

"Perhaps you're hard of hearing," Tao spat, his tone more dangerous than before. "Where is the Dragon Ball?"

"I'll… Never tell you!" Upa defiantly responded, still struggling with the older man's grip.

"You just don't want to make this easy, do you? If you won't tell me, then my contractor's newly acquired radar will. Have it your way then."

With that, Tao threw Upa towards the totem with ease, and well beyond terminal velocity. It wouldn't be long before-

"KINTO'UN!"

Upa was cushioned by a fluffy yellow cloud piloted by two older children. The same children Tao thought he had killed, only to find out they were alive and well, much to the assassin's chagrin.

"You guys made it!" Upa cried out, now seeing his two friends once again. "You visited the hermit master and drank the Chōshinsui?!"

"Yeah, and this is why you should've stayed hidden," Caulifla lightly chastised Upa, who simply recoiled a notch, but was too happy to see them again.

"You stay up here, alright?" Gokū ordered as he cracked his knuckles. "We'll take this guy down."

Upa obediently nodded as the two jumped down from Kinto'un, staring daggers at their assailant, who had a dumbstruck look to find his targets not only alive, but alive and well.

"If you're after the Dragon Ball, you're not getting it," Gokū stated flatly.

"You brats managed to survive my attack?" Tao questioned, his cold expression returning to his face. "How did you two do it? No one survives Tao Pai Pai's Dodonpa!"

"That's none of your business," Caulifla answered, her glare unwavering.

"Well, whatever the case, you two must simply be lucky," Tao said, a sinister smirk warping on his face. "However, luck will not save you twice. You should've stayed in hiding, or kept playing dead. Now I plan to make sure you stay dead. Hand over the Dragon Ball, and I will report your status as such."

"Bargaining with your targets? How unprofessional of you,~" Caulifla retorted in a mocking tone. She was not sorry in the slightest. "Besides, we won't be tossed around by the likes of you again."

"I planned to kill you regardless," Tao retorted, his smirk faded.

"I call first dibs," Gokū requested, smacking one fist into his other palm. "I want payback for what he tried to do."

"All yours, Gokū," Caulifla nodded as she stepped a meter back.

"Ha! You truly are a fool, you realize this?" Tao laughed at the duo's bravado. "I could end just one of you in three seconds!"

Gokū simply smirked at this and wrapped his tail comfortably around his waist, settling himself into a fortified, yet comfortable stance. Tao was the first to move, charging forth with the same speed he demonstrated three days ago, but Gokū was able to follow his movements this time, and feinted backwards, surprising the assassin. The surprise was compounded when Gokū planted his hands on the ground and vaulted into a kick directly into Tao's abdomen, sending him flying. The spiky-haired boy followed his motion to land on his feet, and sprung upwards to meet the assassin in the air and kick him directly in the solar plexus to send him flying, and crashing against the tower, which held strong.

Gokū landed with grace while Tao fell to the ground, landing on his knee.

"What happened to 'killing me in three seconds?'" Gokū jeered, much to the assassin's chagrin.

"W-What just happened?!" Tao muttered in pure disbelief. "You never got the jump on me like this three days ago!"

"That's because we weren't hiding this whole time," Gokū retorted, his smirk ever present. "We were training up top that totem you crashed into."

"Training?!" Tao gawked at the boy's choice of words. "No amount of training in the span of three days would make you supersede me!"

"I guess you've never met Master Karin, then?" Gokū inquired, his smirk deepening ever so slightly.

"K-Karin?!" Tao stammered. "As in the Hermit Master?!" Tao began to sweat, but quickly recomposed himself. "So, the legends are true, eh? Figures that we would meet here in Karin Sanctuary. Folly of me to believe those legends as nothing but myth. A folly I will not let be known elsewhere."

Gokū's smirk faded as he stood up. He turned to face his friend. "Hey Caulifla!" he called out. "You wanna take a turn?"

"I don't see why not,~" Caulifla nodded, followed by a roll of her neck with a satisfying crack, also wrapping her tail around her waist. "Let's see what you got, donkey tail."

"D-Donkey tail…?!" Tao muttered with indignation and seething frustration as his eye began to twitch. This girl was clearly referring to his choice in hairstyle - a braided ponytail with a bow tying the end. "You dare insult the great Tao Pai Pai?! Prodigy advocate of the Crane School and the world's greatest assassin?!"

Gokū leaped back as Caulifla stepped forward. "Quit spitting out speeches and make your move!" Caulifla demanded, now settling into a fortified stance. "No one's gonna give you a standing ovation for just yapping about!"

"Ooooohohohoho, you just love pushing my buttons, don't you?" Tao chuckled mirthlessly, his frustration slightly getting the better of him, but quickly breathed to calm himself. "Very well. Time to play seriously."

"Your move," Caulifla offered, a smirk forming on her face.

Tao complied and launched himself forward to deliver a swift kick to the girl's head, which was adeptly blocked by her forearm. Every attack that Tao delivered, barring the odd left hook, was parried, and most of Caulifla's attacks hit home, frustrating the assassin even further. A successful axe kick to Caulifla's back sent her flying to the ground, but she was quick to rebound her momentum and bolt towards the totem pole, bouncing off that to deliver an axe kick of her own to send Tao into the dirt, his legs sticking up like a disgruntled weed.

The disgraced assassin forced himself out of the earth and stared at his target with unbridled fury. Seeing that his gi robes had been ruined once again, he tore it off with one swift motion, leaving his pants behind and revealing a decently built upper torso.

"You... miserable ingrate!" Tao shouted, all former composure he possessed now evaporated. "There's no way in Hell you could've gained this much strength!"

"Why don't we test how far we've come then?" Caulifla suggested, grinning at Tao's misery. "How about you fire that dodo pie of yours?~"

"IT'S CALLED THE DODONPA!" Tao snapped, his shrill voice reaching a near fever pitch. The assassin soon caught on and took a deep breath to calm himself. "Your efforts to rile me up won't work anymore. But if you're so insistent on seeing it again, I will oblige. In fact..."

The assassin devilishly grinned as he outstretched both of his arms, pointing his index fingers each at Caulifla and Gokū. "How about I try for two at once?!" The older man cried out. "DODONPA!"

True to his word, two instances of the technique emitted from his index fingers, one aimed at Caulifla, and the other heading for Gokū. The two simply smirked and held up their hands to take the blast.

"Bring it!" The two cried out in defiance.

The assassin's respective blasts impacted the duo's hands, pushing the two children back for a few meters until the beams died down. Tao's devilish grin faded to a look of pure disbelief as Gokū was gingerly blowing on his hands to cool them, and Caulifla was comically dancing about, shaking her hands to cool off.

"Hoo, Hot! That friggin stings!" Caulifla squeaked out as she began to blow on her hands to cool the burn.

"It… can't be…" Tao muttered, almost refusing to believe what just happened, his body now trembling. "To actively block my Dodonpa technique…"

"Third times the charm?~" Gokū suggested with a smirk.

"That does it!" Tao shouted as he pulled a capsule from his pocket. He gave it a click and toss, and from the following explosion came a barbed scimitar which the assassin promptly caught, staring at his two targets with murderous rage. "I will turn the two of you into monkey sashimi!"

The duo's respective smirks faded as they jumped away to avoid the mad killer's surprisingly sharp blade. Caulifla ducked behind a tree, only for Tao to cut through it cleanly, and also shave a few bits of hair off her head as well, which got her angry.

"Hey!" Caulifla snapped. "You're lucky that'll grow back!"

Tao immediately turned his focus to Caulifla, completely ignoring Gokū. As the man swung rapidly, a large red pole slammed itself upon the assassin's wrist with a sickening crack, causing him to drop the sword and reel back in agony. The Nyoibō retracted to its usual length and Gokū tossed it aside, bringing his fists to the forefront. Caulifla proceeded to kick the scimitar away from the man's reach, also squaring up to face down their foe.

"If you're done playing with knives, how about we settle this bare-handed?" Gokū asked.

"Settle this?! Bare-handed?!" Tao repeated, his frustration mounting yet again. "You plan to beat me bare-handed?!"

"Yup," Gokū flatly nodded. "In fact, since I broke your wrist, to keep things fair, I'll fight with one hand behind my back."

"Same here," Caulifla agreed as she placed one hand behind hers.

"Is it any wonder why I hate children?" Tao sighed. "They always want to play games!"

"And we're winning,~" Caulifla cheekily added.

Tao immediately unleashed a flurry of punches with his good fist, and a number of kicks that sent the two staggering backwards. The assassin kicked the two upwards and then proceeded to jump up and stomp them down to the ground. Once they landed, he landed both of his knees onto their sternums, and the two lay there motionless. Upa watched the entire ordeal atop Kinto'un and was mortified, while Tao stood up laughing.

"You fools!" Tao laughed almost maniacally. "This is what you get for trying to go toe-to-toe with the world's greatest assassin: Tao Pai Pa-"

"Oh shut up," Gokū and Caulifla shouted with exasperation as they sat up, Gokū smiled while nursing a bruise on his arm and Caulifla wiping a stream of blood from the corner of her mouth.

"You know, I'm glad that hurt," Gokū commented, his eyes now locked on his foe. "I was afraid this was gonna be too easy."

"Sucks that he has to constantly pat himself on the back as the 'world's greatest assassin,'" Caulifla added, adding air quotes to Tao's title. "Keep it up and you might slip a disc."

"Slip a disc?" Gokū repeated, somewhat confused about Caulifla's choice of words.

"I heard someone complain about it once." Caulifla elaborated. "I think it has to do with their spine going all weird?"

"WILL YOU TWO BE QUIET FOR TWO SECONDS?!" Tao shouted, his voice almost threatening to break.

"Look who's talking," Caulifla jeered with a grin.

"Besides, we know your moves and how to counter 'em now," Gokū added, a similar grin forming on his face.

The duo charged forward and landed a simultaneous kick to Tao's gut. Gokū leaped up and delivered a double hand chop to his neck while Caulifla came in from behind and kicked the assassin in the side of the head, knocking a tooth out and sending him on his backside.

'_This… This is impossible…!'_ Tao despaired mentally. '_I can barely see their movements, and they're pummeling me to paste! Damn it! I have one option left. It's humiliating, and may tarnish my reputation, but what choice do I have?!'_

"Forgive me!" Tao cried out, proning to his good hand and knees. "I'm sorry for what I've done! I swear I'll never commit evil deeds ever again!"

Gokū and Caulifla were left truly puzzled at what Tao was doing, his face warped in a most uncomfortable smile that was trying to look apologetic. Caulifla was the first to pick up on this.

"Could you have a lousier poker face?" Caulifla commented, keeping her stance firm. "I've met some terrible liars, but you take the cake."

"Gonna have to agree with her on this one," Gokū nodded. "You're trying to get us to lower our guard and then pull a fast one."

"I-uh," Tao stammered, now realizing his feint had failed. He had always been upfront with his intentions and never saw a need to lie, so his ability to lie was indeed terrible in hindsight. "Think fast!"

Tao swiftly drew from his pocket a cylindrical grenade with the pin ripped clean off and threw it at the duo. Before either child could register the explosive, Tao leaped up, laughing the entire way. "Farewell fools!"

"Grenade!" The duo cried out as Tao continued to fly upwards well away from the group. Gokū swiftly grabbed his Nyoibō and Caulifla kicked the fragmentation explosive towards the boy, who extended the red pole and swung to hit the grenade upward right towards Tao.

"Oh…" Tao muttered as the explosive came eye level with him. "Oh fu-"

_**BOOOOOOOM!**_

When the dust cleared, Tao was gone.

"You guys did it!" Upa cheered out from Kinto'un, which gingerly descended to allow its passenger to disembark. "You actually did it!"

"Yeah we did!" Gokū cheered with satisfied jubilation. "That guy got what was coming to him, and it blew up in his face!"

"You could say we, _knocked it out of the park?~_" Caulifla gleefully joked with a goofy grin, but was met with a blank expression from Upa and an expression from Gokū that just said 'Really?' "B-Because you swung your Nyoibō like a bat, and the grenade was the baseball, and… Nevermind."

"That one was a bit forced," Gokū muttered.

"Well, excuse me!" Caulifla snapped back. "All my wit was used up during our fight with Tao!"

Gokū chuckled at that remark. "Maybe not all of it," He muttered, stifling a chuckle, which began to elicit a stifled giggle from Caulifla.

"Here's the bag Tao stole from you!" Upa gleefully offered the bag that the assassin had taken from the duo, which Caulifla took with a warm smile.

Gokū pulled out the dragon radar and gave it a click. "Hm, There's 3 here, and 3 gathered in this zone over here. Probably where those Red Ribbon goons are hoarding 'em."

"So, that's 6 you can count for?" Caulifla said as she looked at the device. "Where's the 7th?"

"Huh," Gokū hummed as he adjusted the dial on the device. "It's not on the map?"

"What could cause that?" Upa spoke up, now curious about the device Gokū was carrying.

"I dunno, but we'll find it after we storm their base," Gokū suggested, tucking the radar away.

"B-But after that fight with Tao Pai Pai?!"

"I'm guessing he was the best they could throw at us," Caulifla mused aloud. "And as we are now, a bunch of machine gun-wielding mooks shouldn't be any trouble."

"Even less trouble, since we've encountered them several times before," Gokū added, hopping aboard Kinto'un, followed by Caulifla. "We'll be back once we gather all seven, alright?"

Upa nodded and steeled himself. "Be careful out there!"

"Right," Gokū nodded before he turned to his friend. "You wanna do the honors?"

"Sure," Caulifla nodded with a smile as she looked down at the yellow puffy cloud she was on. "Alright, Kinto'un! To the southwest!"

With that, Kinto'un gladly answered the call and took off to the skies to aid its masters in their hunt for the remaining 4 Dragon Balls, three of which are being held at the headquarters of the Red Ribbon Army.

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, this was a fun one to write. I enjoyed having Caulifla taunt Tao to no end, though now I worry I may have overdone it there. Up to the reader to decide on that I suppose. Surprisingly more fun to write than the fight with Purple back in Muscle Tower, probably because I incorporated tag-team tactics. Also, Karin drooling over a plate of food just sounded too good to pass up. Is Tao Pai Pai truly dead though? (Of course not. I still want him to come back as a cyborg like in canon :P ) Next up! Red Ribbon HQ and its dismemberment! Hope this was a fun read. Leave a review and let me know your thoughts. :) _


	19. Chapter 19: The Red Ribbon Falls

_**Red Ribbon Army Headquarters**_

Commander Red sat in his chair - which was elevated - with impatient glee. Tao Pai Pai would soon return with the bounty stolen from his subordinates, bringing the total number of Dragon Balls within his possession up to 5. The dictator couldn't help but smile with excitement as he drummed his fingers together, eager to see the next three jewels added to his collection. His excitement would only mount as a door opened, earning the attention of his ever-present staff officer.

"Sir, Colonel Violet has returned," Staff Officer Black announced, causing the small man to spin around in his chair to face the returning subordinate.

"Asset secured, sir," The purple-haired colonel saluted, holding out the five-star Dragon Ball. "Sorry it took so long."

"Forgiven, Colonel," Red waved off as he held the Dragon Ball in his hand, inspecting it with his one good eye. "Fine work in retrieving my prize. Soon Tao Pai Pai will be back and we'll have 6 in total!"

"A good thing the late General Blue was able to procure the enemy's radar," Violet commented. "The search would've taken 10 times as long."

"Commander!" One of the soldiers called out. "The Dragon Balls at Karin Sanctuary are on the move, heading this way!"

"Excellent!" Commander Red responded with even more glee. "Tao Pai Pai has my bounty secured! A shame he had to visit a tailor, but I respect the guy's need for presentation. The wait will be worth it!"

* * *

_**Open Air, Far North East**_

Kinto'un darted across the sky with it's two masters and passengers stood atop with a determined look in their eyes. The only difference was that Caulifla had a makeshift scabbard and bandolier on her that was carrying the discarded scimitar Tao Pai Pai had used to cut off a small portion of her hair. She thought it would come in handy, and since Gokū has his Nyoibō, it's only fair that she get a weapon of her own. Gokū meanwhile began mulling over his adventure over the past week. The raid of Muscle Tower nearby Jingle Village, the trip to Bulma's home at Capsule Corporation, The underwater pirate's hideout, and most recently, their encounter at Karin Sanctuary. Gokū then thought back to Muscle Tower and soon to the conversation he and Caulifla had with Eighter.

* * *

"_To answer your question, Dr. Gero was a mean man who made mean machines for the Red Ribbon Army. His wife and son don't seem as mean, but I've only seen them in the distance when I was brought online for testing."_

_"Do you know if they like working for the Red Ribbon Army?" Caulifla asked, now curious as well._

_"They didn't look happy," Eighter answered. "They looked sad while Dr. Gero looked mean and said mean things."_

_"So, mad scientist with an unwilling wife and son caught in the mix," Caulifla mused, rubbing her chin. "Do you know what they look like?"_

_"Dr. Gero is an old man with long white hair and a big mustache," Android 8 answered, holding his index finger over his lip to exemplify his point. "His wife is a younger woman with long curly red hair, and their son is a tall muscly man with a red mohawk."_

_"Caulifla, why're you asking these questions?" Gokū asked his friend._

_"Remember how Suno said these guys kidnapped the townsfolk to help look for the Dragon Ball around here?" Caulifla elaborated. "Maybe not all these Red Ribbon guys are working willingly. Some were just pulled into this because of one reason or another."_

_"I think I see what you're getting at," Gokū nodded, now rubbing his chin. "Not everyone in this group are bad guys. The guys we took out at least were total jerks."_

_"The Red Ribbon Army likes to recruit bad people," Eighter added, hearing the conversation. "They only capture good people if they don't have enough bad people. Sometimes good people are family with bad people like with Dr. Gero."_

* * *

"Hey Gokū," Caulifla spoke up, snapping the boy from his musings. "What're you thinking about?"

"Just thinking back to the chat we had with Eighter," Gokū answered. "About how the Red Ribbon recruits good guys when they can't find any bad guys."

"Funny," Caulifla hummed. "I was thinking the same thing. We should pick carefully who we pummel. Give them a chance to run, but fight back if they decide to stay."

"Sounds like a good call," Gokū nodded. "Give 'em a chance to be better after all this."

The two were snapped from their conversation when a mechanical whirr followed up beside them. Gokū took out his Nyoibō and Caulifla her appropriated scimitar, but the two relaxed when they saw it was a little drone, and on one of the wings was a little chibi drawing of a girl with blue eyes and lavender hair making a winky face and holding a victory sign.

"Oh hey, it's Bulma's," Gokū sighed as he recognized the drawing, and therefore guessed Bulma built it. "Why have this thing following us though?"

"Spy on us for whatever reason?" Caulifla shrugged. "She's a weirdo, you know that?"

"Yeah, she's definitely a weirdo," Gokū nodded before waving at the flying camera drone.

* * *

_**Kame House**_

Muten Rōshi, blonde-haired Lunch, and Bulma - the latter two wearing 20 kilogram shells on their backs - all huddled around the small CRT TV that the hermit had in his house and smiled to see that Gokū and Caulifla were alive and well, and Bulma's smile grew wider when the two waved.

"See? I told you they were alright!" Bulma cheered as the screen had shown.

"Hohoho, indeed!" Rōshi exclaimed with delight, seeing his two star pupils alive. "You truly are a brilliant one, Bulma. Putting together this setup with just some scrap I had lying around, next you'll tell me you can make a helicopter out of coconuts and bamboo."

"Oh please!" Bulma chuckled. "You've been watching too much TV. Although-"

"You know where they're headed though?" the Kame-Sennin interrupted.

"Oh. I dunno," Bulma shrugged. She reached for a dial on the box resting atop the TV. "Lemme check the map."

The screen switched from a live feed of Gokū and Caulifla to a topographic map, showing their trajectory heading southwest.

"They're heading to the location of these three Dragon Balls," Bulma answered, pointing at where her drone was flying in relation to the signal of the other three artifacts.

"Couldn't bother to stop by and say 'hi?'" Rōshi muttered, displeased to see his students not wanting to pay a visit.

"That location…" Lunch muttered as she held her chin in a state of pondering. "I'm no cartographer, but the coordinates where those three balls are at, that's also the same location of the Red Ribbon Army HQ."

"Wait-What?!" Both Bulma and Rōshi cried out in unison.

"Can you double-check?" Rōshi asked, now visibly worried.

"I'm checking right now!" Bulma called out as she pulled forward a keyboard to input the coordinates for her little drone. The TV screen switched from the map screen back to the live feed, and sure enough, over the horizon was the Red Ribbon headquarters compound, countless sentry guns lining the outer walls, several runways lined with aircraft, hangar bays likely housing a plethora of vehicles and ordinance, and a large repurposed castle, likely serving as their primary base of operations. Bulma swallowed a lump in her throat as she saw the fortifications below. "Uh, you were right…"

"Don't tell me those two are going into that…?!" Rōshi muttered with trepidation.

"Those squirts are gonna be in for it," Lunch muttered, seeing all the firepower on display. A thin stream of smoke emitted from one of the compound's walls and arced up into the sky, until it was very clearly a missile aimed at the drone Bulma deployed, and the image had gone static. "Oh, that ain't good."

"They're strong, but not strong enough to defeat an entire army," Rōshi sighed. "We need to help them."

"And how do you suppose we do that?" Lunch spoke up. "Your old sub is 500 fathoms down and under 5 metric kilotons of rubble."

"I got it!" Bulma exclaimed, smacking her fist atop her hand. "I'll contact Yamcha!"

"But I don't have a phone," Rōshi retorted.

"Well I'll build one! I can repurpose this surveillance array for that!"

With that, Bulma began tearing down the surveillance assembly she had put together and began repurposing it into a telephone. One could even see a coconut rolling away from the chaos stirred by the lavender-haired genius.

"Guess further training is gonna be put on hold," Lunch sighed as she hefted her shell off her back, letting it fall with a dull clatter, drawing out her capsule case to check her inventory. "I really need to get an aircraft. Plane, jetcopter, anything really."

"Done!" Bulma cheered as she presented her quick handiwork with a gesture and a 'Ta-da!' The fanfare was short-lived as she picked up the earpiece and began dialing into the repurposed keypad. "Hello, dad? It's me, Bulma. Is Yamcha there?"

"_Oh hey, Bulma!"_ Dr. Briefs greeted from the other end of the line. "_Long time no speak, eh? I came up with a hilarious joke that-"_

"This is no time for your terrible dad jokes!" Bulma snapped into her earpiece, earning a disappointed sigh from her father. "Just put Yamcha on the phone!"

"_Alright, here he is,"_ The genius inventor relented as he began muttering about how his joke was a really good one in the distance.

* * *

_**Open Air, 10 kilometers from Red Ribbon HQ**_

"Aw man!" Caulifla groaned. "They blew up that little drone!"

"And I was beginning to like it too!" Gokū added, just as annoyed at what had happened. The boy was snapped from his musings when he heard the hum of a jet copter on approach, machine guns opening fire. "Let's do this!"

"Way ahead of ya!" Caulifla nodded as the two charged towards the assaulting vehicle, only to plow right through it, leaving a large explosion in its wake. "Let's head down to that balcony down there and start looking!"

"Right!" Gokū nodded as Kinto'un followed its masters' command, dropping them off at the balcony Caulifla had designated. Immediately several soldiers filed out and opened fire upon the duo, who swiftly avoided each bullet and delivered several flying kicks to their aggressors. "Crush their guns just in case!"

"Got it!" Caulifla complied as she forcefully stepped on any dropped weapons, and took away the ones that were in use, promptly snapping them in two with one swift motion.

"W-What the Hell are these kids?!" One soldier with a white headband cried out as he frantically opened fire, trying to hit his mark, but every bullet that missed was caught with their hands. The man trembled and dropped his rifle, quickly taking off his headband and waving it in defeat. "I give!"

"Good!" The duo nodded in unison as they ran off.

What they failed to notice was that the soldier began to recompose himself and pulled out a pistol, shakily aiming for the back of Caulifla's skull. He opened fire, only for Caulifla to kick the bullet directly back to its sender, hitting him in the forehead and causing him to go limp.

"Yeesh," Gokū winced at what happened to the now dead soldier. "Guy had it coming though."

"That was just dirty, saying you give, only to try and pull a fast one right after," Caulifla snorted. "So, where's your radar say the Dragon Balls are being held?"

Gokū took out the device and gave it a click, adjusting the zoom distance with the dial to get a more precise estimate. "Thattaway," He announced, pointing in their general direction. "That big dome tower over there."

"Good a place as any to look," Caulifla shrugged. "Definitely looks important."

The two nodded as they began hopping from rooftop to rooftop to reach their goal. Their travel was quickly interrupted by armed hover cars that immediately opened fire upon them, along with several gunners along the walls.

"I got the wall guys!" Gokū announced as he leaped through each of the windows the gunners were hiding in, delivering a swift chop to each of their necks and thoroughly breaking their respective weapons. The boy then leaped out of the last window and clung to the opposite roof. "Fly boys are next!"

"I got 'em!" Caulifla called out as she leaped off a descending hover car that crashed into the ground. The rest of the airborne grouped together and began to charge at the girl, who simply smirked and pulled her hands to her side, ring and pinky fingers clenched. "Ka… Me…"

A star of ki formed in her hands, but instead of the expected blue hue, it was red. She then swiftly thrust her hands outward, ring and pinky fingers still curled.

"BĀSUTO!"

A burst of red ki shot out of Caulifla's hands like a gun, heading towards the oncoming aircraft. As soon as the sphere was within the figurative center of the squadron, the spiky-haired girl, her arms still outstretched, swiftly pulled them apart, and as she did so, the sphere of ki detonated, sending the aircraft off-course and plummeting to the ground. Caulifla landed neatly on the ground of the courtyard with Gokū landing close beside her, a look of awe on his face.

"That was cool!" Gokū exclaimed. "Was that your own spin on the Kamehameha?"

"More or less," Caulifla shrugged. "I call it the Kamebāsuto. Instead of a beam, it's a quick burst - hence the name."

"And you can control when it goes boom. That's awesome!" Gokū finished. "I gotta try that sometime! But first..."

"The Dragon Balls," Caulifla finished as the two nodded and proceeded to dismantle the now petrified soldiers in front of them. As the two raced forward, a sharp string grazed Caulifla's cheek as she grunted with annoyed pain. "Ow! Gokū! Sniper, second tower on our left!"

"Got it!" Gokū nodded as he extended his Nyoibō to reach past the offending tower, and he swung to cut it in half, causing the top half to slowly slide down and crumble. The boy retracted his staff and cupped his hands to his mouth. "I'd stop sniping us unless you wanna end up like the guy in that tower over there!"

Normal human ears could not hear it from their vantage point, but the duo heard terrified wimpers of soldiers in various towers run down the stairs of their respective posts, leaving their weapons clattering behind.

"Let's hope they get the message," Caulifla sighed as she continued her assault with her friend.

"OPEN FIRE!" A loud gruff voice called out from the base of one of the walls. Several soldiers began to unload their weapons upon the duo, but the two quickly leapt out of the way and out of sight. The owner of the voice looked around swiftly, wondering where they had gone, only to see his fellow soldiers quickly fall before the two children, who hesitated and looked upon the man with inquisitive stares.

"Red hair in a mohawk..." Gokū muttered, still processing what he was seeing. "Tall, muscular…"

The man - fitting of the description Gokū muttered, along with a bright green tactical vest and protective armor - did not wait to see what would happen after the boy finished his thought and aimed his rifle directly at the two and opened fire. The two swiftly caught every bullet and Caulifla took her scimitar to cut the man's rifle in half.

"Hang on sir!" Caulifla requested, now putting her scimitar away. "This might be a shot in the dark, but do you know Android #8?"

"Android… #8?" The man muttered. "How do you know about him?!"

"We met him at Muscle Tower up north," Gokū elaborated. "He mentioned a guy named Dr. Gero and his family."

"He mentioned my father?" The man repeated, now giving away that he was Dr. Gero's son.

"And your mother," Caulifla added, earning a small flinch from the man. "I suggest you go find your parents and book it."

"Abandon my post?!" The man retorted with near outrage. "I would never-"

"Eighter said that you and your mother are good people," Gokū interrupted. "I dunno if you've noticed, but the Red Ribbon Army aren't good people, and we've pretty much kicked the tar out of the goons we've faced so far. Trust me, you'll want to leave, now!"

The man stood there for a moment, processing what to do next, as well as who Eighter was, but he assumed that was a nickname for Android 8. He sighed and nodded, earning a smile from the duo. Gokū and Caulifla proceeded to race towards the tower where the Dragon Balls were hiding while the man swiftly turned around to follow a new objective.

* * *

_**Kame House**_

"Alright, everyone ready to fight climb aboard, now!" Yamcha cried out from his jet. Lunch was the first to take her seat, followed by Muten Rōshi, and-

"B-Bulma?!" Yamcha stammered. "Why're you coming along?!"

"I might not be able to kick ass," '_yet'_ Bulma retorted followed up by her mental addition. "But I bet I can do something for all Gokū's done for us!"

"Oh, um… Okay?" Yamcha hesitantly agreed, wondering where this newfound confidence came from. The ex-bandit snapped himself from his stupor as he took off, flying in the direction of the Red Ribbon HQ. "Oh yeah, where's the little monk? Krillin was it?"

"It's Kuririn," Rōshi corrected. "He was last seen swimming to the mainland to fetch groceries. No transport meant he'd have to swim, plus it'd make good exercise for the lad."

"I say we pick up the little cue ball," Lunch suggested, clicking her capsules open and closed to check her arsenal. "We'll need his help if we're storming that base."

"Couldn't agree more, miss, uh-"

"Lunch," The blonde finished Yamcha's sentence with a snort, causing the bandit to chuckle nervously at how scary the woman was. "Just keep your distance and we'll get along just fine."

"Good luck with that one," Bulma muttered with a pout, all while Yamcha nervously swallowed a lump in his throat.

"There he is!" Rōshi cried out, gesturing towards the ocean below. "I'd recognize that glint anywhere!"

Yamcha steered his plane in for a water landing besides the glint Muten Rōshi had indicated. The ex-bandit cut the engines and glided down, allowing the hull of his aircraft to leave a wake and to allow the water to slow its descent and stop next to a swimming Kuririn who was both surprised and confused. The front hatch opened and Rōshi leaned over the railing.

"All aboard, lad!" Rōshi ordered as he outstretched a hand to heave the little monk aboard.

"What's going on?" Kuririn asked as he dried himself off.

"To keep things short, Gokū and Caulifla, Red Ribbon HQ, and we're gonna go help out," Lunch summarized while pulling out her favorite UZI.

"T-The Red Ribbon HQ?!" Kuririn stammered as he finally got the last of the water out of his ears. "What're they thinking?!"

"They're not," Rōshi responded morosely. "I could expect this from Gokū, but Caulifla's smarter than this."

"Well, as long as they leave some for us, I can't complain," Lunch grinned as she shoved an ammo magazine into her UZI.

"Just don't sneeze at the worst time, please," Kuririn deadpanned, a nervous bead of sweat rolling down his scalp.

"Pu'ar, how long 'till we get there?" Yamcha asked his shapeshifting partner in crime.

"About… 40 minutes Yamcha," Pu'ar answered, looking at the jet's GPS.

"Let's hope those two are alive by the time we get there," Rōshi muttered.

* * *

_**Red Ribbon Army HQ, Research Wing**_

The red-haired man raced down the corridor of the research wing, a determined look on his face. He paid no mind to the various soldiers and scientists who were in a mad scramble around the complex. There were several rooms with an alphanumeric label above each door, but the man was looking for one in particular.

"A-21," The man muttered as he swiftly opened the door to enter.

Inside were various mechanical devices and cylinders filled with odd fluid. Several workbenches littered the room and were adorned with a myriad of mechanical experiments ranging from weapons to what looked like new androids in the works. At the cylinders was a young-looking woman with long, curly auburn hair and ice-blue eyes framed by a set of glasses, wearing a blue and red checkerboard dress under an open white lab coat, and over by one of the workbenches was an older man with long white hair, a balding scalp, white bushy mustache and a permanent scowl etched into his slightly aged face, wearing a similar lab coat over more dapper clothing.

Gebo?!" The woman exclaimed, seeing the new visitor. "What are you doing here?"

"We have to get out of here, now," The man now known as Gebo implored. "Son Gokū and Caulifla are here."

"Where are they headed?" The old man inquired with a twitch of his mustache.

"Tower 8," Gebo answered. "Commander Red and the Dragon Balls are there."

"Serves that fool right," The old man scoffed. "Short-tempered, short-sighted, and close-minded. This is the perfect time to seize control while those two monsters end him."

"Gero," The woman spoke up. "There may be nothing left to seize after all of this if those two are on our doorstep. Perhaps we-"

"Silence!" Gero interrupted, causing the woman to meekly recoil back. "I will not abandon my research or my efforts to remove that miserable ingrate from command! The Red Ribbon Army belongs to Dr. Gero! Not some petty rich man, or those two monkey children!"

"Said monkey children suggested we leave," Gebo spoke up, earning surprised looks from both Gero and the woman. "They encountered Android 8 and found out about us."

"Damn that infernal waste of effort!" Gero cursed, a vein popping on his balding forehead. "Those two seek to subvert my own creations and thwart my plans!"

"Father, do you even hear yourself?!" Gebo exclaimed. "The heart of the Red Ribbon is being torn apart! I was there when those two took out an entire air squadron without breaking a sweat!"

"NO!" Gero screamed, his eyes now bloodshot. "I will not allow this! My plans are too far along for those miserable monkeys to generate subterfuge!"

"The more we stall, the more we risk ourselves-"

"SILENCE!" The mad doctor interrupted his son. "You two are involved in my plans to take over the Red Ribbon! We will crush those two miserable children, and-"

"Our involvement has ended."

Both Gero and Gebo turned to see the woman stare coldly at the older man. Her eyes were glazed over with tears as she was no longer willing to put up with this man's dangerous ambition.

"I've given you every chance I could, Gero," The woman said firmly. "But ever since you signed up for the Red Ribbon, your judgement gradually stopped being sound to the point of insanity. We're leaving, with, or without you."

"Checka!" Gero shouted. "You would dare leave me over this?!"

"If you want to stay here and see your plans through to the end, be my guest," The woman now known as Checka, said flatly and coldly. "We're leaving while we still can."

"Gebo!" Gero called towards his son. "You seriously cannot be considering this as well!"

"Gokū and Caulifla could've killed me there and then," Gebo sighed. "I'm not gonna look a gift horse in the mouth. Not now."

Gebo turned around and walked out of the room, not before tearing the Red Ribbon badge on his jacket clean off. He was shortly followed by Checka, who spared one last glance at the mad doctor, who was beyond livid with what was happening. Checka also tore off the Red Ribbon badge off of her lab coat, closed the door behind her, and the two were off, leaving Dr. Gero alone.

* * *

_**Red Ribbon Army HQ, Tower 8**_

Commander red was very out of breath, half from his diminutive legs having to trek across the compound, and half from his lungs being compromised by his cigar-smoking habits. He hastily moved over to the table where his precious bounty was resting and shielded it as if he were a dragon hoarding a mountain of gold. Staff Officer Black was locking the elevator behind them, so that no one could reach their level.

"No one… Will take… These Dragon Balls!" Red snarled in between breaths.

"This doesn't look good," The staff officer stated gravely. "Those two actually managed to survive Tao Pai Pai, and now our headquarters is under siege. We've already lost our top operatives even before this, thanks to them."

"Bring up the security cams!" Red barked, to which Staff Officer Black swiftly complied.

On the main screen, Gokū and Caulifla were swiftly dispatching soldiers left, right, and center. By the time they reached the base of the tower, two soldiers hiding behind an overturned table with a rocket launcher fired at the two, resulting in a loud explosion the high-ranking officials felt from their position. Believing they had got them, the soldiers cheered, but when the dust from the explosion cleared, they were only mildly singed, and looked livid. The two rushed towards the table and crushed the soldiers between their shield and the wall. They looked around and found the elevator. Caulifla pressed the buttons, but frowned when it did not respond.

"Good call disabling the elevator," Commander Red complimented, to which Staff Officer Black simply nodded. "Now there's no way that-"

CRASH

"Did they just…" Staff Officer Black stammered, trying to process what he was seeing on the camera feed. "Did they just jump through the ceiling?"

"They're… They're just a couple of brats! Stupid little brats!" Red began to snarl and grind his teeth, threatening to chip a molar.

"A couple of absurdly powerful brats," Staff Officer Black added. "And we're realizing this too late. The rest of the troops have begun retreating, and we're out of options. We'll have to surrender the Dragon Balls and regroup."

"_**GOD-FUCKING-DAMNIT!"**_ Commander Red Cursed aloud as he slammed both fists onto the table. "AFTER ALL THE TROUBLE WE WENT THROUGH TO GATHER THEM?! I was _so_ close! A little more time and I would've gotten to be taller!"

…

"...Did you say 'Taller,' sir?" Staff Officer Black inquired, now absolutely dumbstruck. "You mean to tell me we were gathering the Dragon Balls just to give you a growth spurt?"

"Yes!" The eyepatch-wearing commander shouted his answer.

"I thought we were going to wish for world domination!"

"We'll get to that! We have the resources! But a conqueror has to be charismatic, dominating, and impressive. _**NOT A FUCKING MIDGET!**_"

"We've broken our backs three times over for something so petty?"

"You tall people wouldn't get it! Ridiculed your entire life! 'Hey, it's that shrimp, Red!' 'Oh hey! That little boy has a mustache!' THEY WILL RUE THE DAY!"

"I stuck my neck out for the Red Ribbon's goal of global conquest, not to cure my commanding officer's Napoleon Complex! We let several soldiers be slaughtered just so you wouldn't be short?!"

"You would dare say that to me?! I am Commander Red of the Red Ribbon Army! Those mongrels should've been trained better! And people like them should keep their mouths shut when their commanding officer is speaking, and-"

BANG!

Commander Red's tirade had gone silent as a new hole had opened up in his forehead, blut spurting out and the diminutive dictator fell backwards in a lifeless heap.

"Your judgement has proven to not be sound, so I hereby relieve you of command," Staff Officer Black stated coldly, a smoking pistol in one hand. "I will take command and supply the Red Ribbon Army with competent leadership. Commander Black will reign supreme."

The now Commander Black was snapped from his reverie by the sound of shattering glass as two figures rolled through the now broken window. The two stood up revealing themselves to be Gokū and Caulifla.

"Okay, they should be around here somewhere," Gokū muttered, scanning the room, seeing the corpse of the now usurped Commander Red, the pedestal carrying the three Dragon Balls, and a tall dark-skinned man in a suit. "Are you in charge here?"

"As of a minute ago, yes," Commander Black shrugged as he took off his jacket with a sigh. "The previous commander had proven his judgement was no longer sound, so I… relieved him of duty."

"Why was his judgement not sound?" Caulifla asked, now curious as to what he meant.

"He sought the Dragon Balls for a petty reason," Commander Black sighed again. "He… wanted to grow taller.

…

"BAHAHAHAHAHA!" Gokū and Caulifla both doubled over in laughter leaving the newly appointed commander somewhat annoyed but more confused than anything else. The two recomposed themselves, wiping laugh-induced tears from their eyes, but were still chuckling from what they had just learned.

"Sorry, It's just…" Caulifla said in between chuckles. "Lunch mentioned how Commander Red wanted to use them to grow taller, since he was a walking talking Napoleon Complex."

"And she was right on the money!" Gokū laughed before clearing his throat. "Well, unless you have a problem with it, we'll be taking those Dragon Balls now."

"Well, how about you two consider this first?" Commander Black stated with a simple smile. "Why don't we gather the Dragon Balls together, and use them to rule the world? All the power of Earth would be ours!"

"Thanks for the offer, but we have a promise to keep," Caulifla rejected. "One of your guys killed our friend's father, and we plan to use the Dragon Balls to fix that."

"Hmm," Commander Black hummed. "Alright, how about this? When we gather the Dragon Balls and bring back this fellow's father, _then_ you two can join me in conquering the world! You two are quite powerful and would prove to make the Red Ribbon Army an invincible world power."

"I have no interest in taking over the world!" Gokū retorted, earning a nod from Caulifla. "Besides, you guys would make the world miserable, so no!"

Commander Black's smile faded into a scowl. "I see," he said, squaring up. "Well, my options are limited, so I might as well see how powerful you are for myself."

"You might be surprised," Caulifla added with a smirk, gently wrapping her tail around her waist, Gokū doing the same. "You don't seem like a martial artist, but let's see what you can do."

"I'm well practiced in Krav Maga," Commander Black retorted, smirking. "I'm sure I can put your confidence to rest."

The newly appointed commander swung a fist at Gokū, who jumped out of the way with ease. The older man then swung his leg out for a kick to try and hit Caulifla, who also dodged with no effort.

"Okay, this is too easy," Caulifla commented, her grin ever present. "Even Tao Pai Pai put up a better fight than this."

"My turn!" Gokū announced. Before Commander Black could retort, the boy lodged his fist squarely into the older man's stomach, causing him to buckle over and gasp for air. "I think this'll go better if you just give up and turn yourself in."

'_Not on your life, squirt,'_ Commander Black thought, wiping the spittle from his mouth. He quickly reached for his back pocket and tossed out a capsule after clicking it, and from the 'POI' emerged a large mechanized suit. The tall man quickly leapt into the hatch and the machine whirred to life. Before either child could react, two large mechanical fists knocked them aside, the two slumped against the wall.

"Owie owie owie!" Caulifla whined as she held her cheek gingerly.

"Jeez that smarts!" Gokū hissed as he rubbed the bruise on his face.

"Looks like you two can't stand up to my battle jacket!" Commander Black announced, his voice amplified through the mech's built-in loudspeaker. "You two will be the first casualties of the new Red Ribbon Army!"

The large mech swung its forearms forward, a massive heated beam emanating from a port on top. Gokū and Caulifla quickly leapt out of the way, leaving a molten hole where that segment of floor used to be, but were caught by Commander Black's augmented mechanical fists.

"Sayonara you runts!" The man laughed as he threw both children out of the building through the wall. The mech suit jumped upward, suspended in the air by a jet engine aiming downward. The mech aimed its two forearms down at where Gokū and Caulifla lay dazed and confused. "Too easy."

Two heated beams fired from the mech, intent on melting its targets. With a loud boom, the beams met the earth, and when the dust settled, the two were nowhere to be seen. Commander Black was about to cheer, until he heard the glass squeak above him. He looked up to see both Gokū and Caulifla grinning.

"Missed!" The two jeered as they stuck out their tongues, further infuriating the new commander. He brought his fists upward to try and crush them, only for the two to jump down and hang off one of the handlebars, and leaving the fists to crash through the windscreen and hit the man square in the face.

"Why're you hitting yourself?" Caulifla laughed as Commander Black began to seethe, now missing a tooth and his face now bruised and cut.

"That's it!" The commander shouted as the mech swiftly gained altitude, causing the duo to lose their grip and fall to the ground and land neatly. "I'm ending this now!"

The mech hovered in place and began to pivot upside down. The large segment on its back began to open and with a loud screech, a large missile was launched from the mech, aimed directly towards Gokū and Caulifla.

"Oh crap!" Gokū exclaimed, realizing what was coming towards them.

Gokū and Caulifla quickly leapt up and gave the missile a swift kick - fortunately not hitting the warhead - and diverted its course into a nearby mountain. When the missile made impact, a large black cloud of smoke erupted from the mountain, followed shortly after by the deafening sound of the explosion.

"Sheesh," Gokū exclaimed as he landed on one of the rooftops, rubbing his foot. "What was that thing made of?!"

"Well, it's made of blown up mountain now," Caulifla commented, seeing the smoke clear, showing the top of said mountain blasted clean off.

Commander Black could not believe his eyes. Those two kicked a 10 kiloton payload missile away like it was nothing. Seeing no other option, he began flying away, but the duo saw this and were not keen on letting this man escape.

"Oh no you don't!" Gokū exclaimed as he clapped his hands together. He hummed as electricity began to arc around his arms. He spread apart his palms, leaving his fingertips connected, and then he thrust his hands forward.

"BANKOKU BIKKU RISHŌ!"

A large arc of electricity shot out from Gokū's hands aimed directly at Commander Black's fleeing mech. When the bolt struck, the mech spasmed in an unsettling manner, and with a deafening clatter, fell to the earth with a large trail of smoke.

"Nice one!" Caulifla applauded her friend. "I'm sure Muten Rōshi would be impressed!"

"Don't you mean Jackie Chun?~" Gokū cheekily retorted with a grin.

"Oh shut up," Caulifla playfully retorted with a light punch to the boy's arm. The two began to laugh as they reentered the now ruined complex to pick up the three Dragon Balls that the Red Ribbon Army had in their possession and resume their quest in earnest. That still left the mystery of the missing 7th Dragon Ball, so they would have to consult Bulma about that issue in due time.

* * *

**A/N: **_And so the Napoleon Complex Army has been decimated! I wanted to spice up this raid with a few things, such as bringing up that old conversation I set up with Eighter, since the time was right. I also had Caulifla come up with a neat spin on the Kamehameha called the Kameb__āsuto, which literally translates to "Turtle Burst." I also had Goku do Jackie Chun's lightning move because why not? :/ Also, Gero has more reason to hate Goku now.  
_

_This chapter could've been out sooner were it not for the house A/C doing the stupid, 'specially since I live in a fresh humid hell known as Florida, but I hope this was a fun read. :)_


	20. Chapter 20: Thread-bare

_**14 Kilometers away from Red Ribbon Headquarters**_

Yamcha held the aircraft's speed at its maximum, aimed directly at the infamous Red Ribbon Army headquarters. Oolong was cowering in the very back while Pu'ar stood firm with his partner in crime. Muten Rōshi sat expressionless but was worried beneath his facade. Bulma was visibly nervous, several beads of sweat rolling down her scalp, and Blonde Lunch - as to be expected - was excited with a devilish smirk plastered across her face. The compound soon came into view and everyone tried to steel themselves.

"Alright, land us on that highway over there," Lunch ordered, gesturing to the asphalt strip down below.

"Why there?" Yamcha inquired.

"Air defense systems," Lunch answered with a click of her tongue. "Bulma sent out a little spy drone and it got popped by a missile not 2 seconds after entering the airspace."

"Very compelling point," Yamcha nervously nodded as he began to land his jet along the road below. The landing skids deployed and with a dying whir, the engines were shut off and the main hatch opened for everyone to disembark. The ex-bandit drew out his trusty scimitar while Lunch turned on the laser sights for her UZI and cocked her magazine into place. "Here goes nothing."

"We'll need a plan though!" Rōshi suggested sternly. "Charging into that place would be reckless."

"Gotta agree with the master on that one," Lunch nodded as she clicked various capsules and tossed them at various members of the team.

In front of Bulma was an armored hovercycle with twin machine gun mounts at the front. At Pu'ar's feet was a scoped pistol with a silencer on the barrel. Oolong was given a pump shotgun with a holster of shells grafted to the side.

"I'd give the chrome domes and the Tusken Raider something," Lunch explained, earning an indignated look from the aforementioned chrome domes, but a chuckle from said Tusken Raider. "But I dunno how the former two's aim is, and the bandit's got his sword."

"Why do I have a weapon?!" Oolong shouted. "I never agreed to any of this!"

"Have you considered pulling your own weight for once?!" Bulma snapped, her trademark fury unleashed. "I'm not a fighter and yet I decided to come along!"

"B-But I have a stomach ache! OOOH OW!" Oolong began to whine as he hunched over, clutching his stomach.

"And you have a doctor's note I bet?!" Bulma sarcastically retorted.

"How about both of ya shut up and let's storm that base!" Lunch interrupted, her own brand of fury quelling the argument while Oolong reluctantly picked up his shotgun. "Now, as for the plan of attack-"

"Bulma and Lunch will take off their tops to distract the soldiers," Rōshi suggested with a perverted grin, only for said grin to fade to a frown when Lunch smacked the old hermit with the butt of her UZI. "OW! It was just a joke! Jeez!"

"When you're training to keep that nonsense under control?!" Bulma added, livid the hermit suggested such a thing.

"Stow the jokes and take this seriously damnit!" Lunch snarled between her teeth, staring at the Kame-Sennin with welling fury, causing the old man to retreat back. "Just for that, you and Kuririn get to draw their fire. I'll take down the goons on ground level while the floating cat snipes from afar. Bulma'll take that hoverbike and-"

"Hey! Something's coming this way!" Kuririn exclaimed, pointing at the sky.

"Pu'ar! Capsulize the plane!" Yamcha ordered as the group began to hide in the trees.

"Got it!" The floating cat complied as he pressed a button on the side of the aircraft, and with a 'POI,' returned to its more portable packaging.

"Man, I hope we weren't spotted," Yamcha muttered as he looked up at the sky from behind his tree. He looked up and noticed a small speck getting closer, and behind it was a yellow contrail and an unusually delightful whirring sound as it approached. "Wait a sec…"

"Is that…" Kuririn muttered out as he looked in the same direction as Yamcha.

"It is!" Rōshi confirmed as he looked. "Those two are still alive!"

The entire crowd cheered as they called up at the cloud to get its attention. Sure enough, Kinto'un's course had changed and Gokū and Caulifla smiled wide to see their friends here.

"Oh hey guys!" Gokū called out, glad to see everyone again. "What're you all doing here?"

"What do you mean 'what are we doing here?'" Bulma retorted, now visibly annoyed.

"We saw you two were heading to the Red Ribbon HQ by yourselves," Kuririn elaborated. "We came to help."

"Bulma's little spy drone I bet?" Caulifla deduced, earning a nod from said lavender-haired genius.

"Well in any case, you were wise to decide to not go through with it!" Yamcha said, relieved that the two were here and not there.

"Not go through with it?" Gokū retorted, mildly confused at what Yamcha was suggesting. "We already took care of business there."

"Aaaand we got our Dragon Ball collection up to 6 now!" Caulifla added, presenting said relics with fanfare.

"H-Hold up!" Kuririn stammered. "You're telling us that you two, all by yourselves, took down the ENTIRE Red Ribbon Army…?"

"Yep" The two answered in unison, causing the entire group to look upon them with stupefied expressions.

"Aw damnit!" Lunch shouted. "I wanted to kick some ass!"

"Caulifla here came up with a cool spin on your Kamehameha, Muten Rōshi!" Gokū exclaimed, still giddy at how his friend did it. "And I was able to pull off the Bankoku Bikku Rishō! That zappy move that Jackie Chun used against me during the Tenka'ichi Budōkai."

"Uh, Pu'ar?" Yamcha muttered. "Could you go take a quick peek over at that base?"

"Uh, sure," Pu'ar nodded, still dumbfounded. The little blue cat then flew off to investigate.

"Y-You two squirts never cease to amaze me," The Kame-Sennin stammered. "Perhaps you could demonstrate that spin-off at some point?"

"I don't see why not," Caulifla shrugged.

"It's true!" Pu'ar cried out on his return. "The base is absolutely wrecked!"

"Not even the world armies could beat them…" Bulma muttered, almost refusing to believe it. "And yet these two…"

"Oh, Master Karin says hi," Gokū added, earning a shocked expression from Muten Rōshi.

"M-Master Karin?!" Rōshi stammered, hearing that name for the first time in a long time.

"Yep!" Caulifla confirmed with a nod. "We both climbed that big totem pole and drank the Choshinsui!"

"Remarkable!" The old hermit exclaimed. "That explains how you bested the Red Ribbon so easily." '_no point mentioning it took me 3 years to get that water…'_

"Um, excuse me, which way is the nearest bus station?"

The group was broken from their conversation to turn and see two strangers. One was a woman with long, curly auburn hair and a lab coat, the other was a tall, muscular man with red hair cut into a mohawk, along with a little brown sparrow happily perched on his right shoulder.

"Oh hey!" Gokū greeted the two, remembering the taller one. "Glad you got out of there! Though I never caught your name."

"Gebo," The man introduced himself flatly. "And thanks for the warning."

"My name's Dr. Checka," The woman introduced herself with a small bow. "And I'm glad we put that organization behind us for good."

"Ooh, Dr. Checka!" Bulma squealed, seeing a renowned scientist before her. The lavender-haired genius rushed over to aggressively shake the hand of the former Red Ribbon scientist. "I'm Bulma! I've read your work on biomechanics, and I gotta say I'm a big fan!"

"O-oh uh, thanks," Checka sheepishly chuckled as she rubbed the back of her neck.

"Ah, fellow traitors!" Lunch exclaimed with a smile. "What made you jump ship? Was it these two storming the base? Some jackass in command?"

"My husband," Checka answered morosely.

"Dr. Gero, from what we gathered, was not good company," Caulifla added, her tone sympathetic for the new arrivals.

"Hold on a sec," Bulma interrupted, putting a pause to the conversation. "Dr. Gero? As in 'world class robotics scientist' Dr. Gero? I heard he went missing, but-"

"He was an ambitious man," Checka interrupted, her tone still sullen. "Too ambitious. He signed up with the Red Ribbon Army to further his research, dragging us along, but as time went on, he began to slip further into insanity."

"These two encountered Android 8 at Muscle Tower," Gebo explained. "One of my father's creations, written off as a failure for being too docile. That's how they knew about us."

The group nodded at this information while Checka nervously fidgeted with a lock of her hair, averting eye contact from the group. "I… may have had a hand in Android 8's behavior," Checka mumbled. This caught the attention of everyone present, Gokū and Caulifla especially, as they were wide-eyed with surprise at what the auburn-haired woman had just said. "Gero tasked me with configuring the neural network of his next android model, and… I guess I wanted to disrupt the Red Ribbon's plans, given their reputation and all."

"So you made Eighter a good guy?" Gokū summarized, in awe at what this lady had done. "That's amazing! I think the folks at Jingle Village would be happy to know that!"

"Um… Eighter?" Checka repeated, somewhat confused.

"A nickname Gokū came up for the guy," Caulifla explained with a warm smile. "I guess we should thank you for putting the finishing touches on a good friend."

"Oh, I just remembered!" Gokū exclaimed as he rummaged through his backpack and pulled out the Dragon Radar. "Bulma, could you check up on the radar?"

"Hm? Sure," Bulma shrugged as she took the radar from the boy's hand. "Still didn't find your heirloom ball yet?"

"No, I found it," Gokū answered. "We're gathering all 7 now for a friend we met at Karin Sanctuary. His father was killed by an assassin, and we want to call upon Shenlong to resurrect him."

"Hm! A truly noble cause lad!" Rōshi hummed with delight.

"So, do you think you broke it again?" Bulma asked as she looked at the radar.

"No, I don't think that's it," Gokū answered. "6 Dragon Balls show up on the screen, but the 7th won't appear."

"Hm," Bulma hummed. She gave the device a click and true to Gokū's words, 6 of the 7 were visible, regardless of how she adjusted the zoom dial. "I'd hazard a guess that something swallowed it."

"Swallowed it?" both monkey children repeated in unison.

"An alligator, hippopotamus, maybe even a whale for all we know, could've just up and gulped it. The unique electromagnetic signal given off by the Dragon Balls can be blocked by thick organic material."

"Well, we could wait for nature to run its course then?" Yamcha suggested with a nervous chuckle. "Of course it'll need a thorough washing after that. Along with whoever finds it."

"Is he suggesting-"

"He's suggesting we wait for whatever ate it to shit it out," Lunch interrupted Caulifla bluntly, earning several looks of varying disgust from the group, including Checka and Gebo.

"Aw darn," Gokū muttered sullenly. "And we're so close."

"Guess I won't get to see this dragon after all," Caulifla sighed as she slumped her shoulders. Deep down she felt bad that Upa's father would stay dead.

"If I may, there might be another way to find it," Rōshi spoke up. "Perhaps you could seek out the palace of Uranai Baba - The All-seeing Crone."

"The what?" Several members of the group asked in staggered succession. Gokū and Caulifla's collective spirits brightened up immediately.

"Uranai Baba has the power to divine the location of any lost object," Rōshi elaborated. "Clairvoyance at its finest."

"Clairvoyance, as in fortune telling?" Bulma mused. "Knowing you, you're talking about the real deal and not those scam artists on TV."

"Hoho! Certainly not!" the Kame-Sennin chuckled. "Anyone got a map?"

"Right here, sir," Yamcha said as he pulled out a rolled-up map.

Everyone huddled around the map Yamcha laid out as Muten Rōshi gestured his finger across the paper, trying to discern the location of this palace.

"Let's see…" Rōshi hummed as he trailed his finger across the map. "No, uh, She's right over, um… Right Here."

"Desert, eh?" Yamcha muttered with a smirk. "Familiar terrain. I can get us there no problem."

"Before we go, we'll need some new clothes," Caulifla spoke up, gesturing to the torn and singed clothing she and Gokū were wearing. "Can we swing by a tailor first?"

"Good call," Rōshi nodded. "You wouldn't want to speak with Baba without looking presentable."

"We also might also need a bigger plane if Checka and Gebo are coming along," Bulma added.

"Don't worry, I got those two covered," Yamcha dismissed as he drew out his capsule case. He pulled out a capsule, clicked and tossed it, and from the 'POI' was a hovercar. "They can borrow this."

"O-Oh! Thank you sir," Checka bowed. "Though, we wouldn't know where to go."

"Capsule Corp?" Bulma suggested with a shrug. "Your son could work with our security team if he's inclined, plus we have a Biomechanical Research division along with several other miscellaneous departments. It's like an R&D candyland."

"Candy?!" Checka exclaimed, her eyes wide and a dribble of saliva rolling out of her smiling mouth. She quickly realized what she was doing and recomposed herself, along with wiping the saliva off her chin. "S-Sorry, I uh, have a bit of a sweet tooth."

"That's fine. We won't judge," Bulma waved off with a light chuckle. "In the meantime, you guys wanna tag along for the trip?"

Gebo shrugged his shoulders while Checka nodded. "It would be a nice change of pace," The woman added. "We could also use a stop at the tailors as well."

"I saw a town not too far away during our trip here," Yamcha suggested. "Let's see if there's something there."

Everyone nodded as they boarded their vehicles - Gokū and Caulifla aboard Kinto'un, Checka and Gebo on Yamcha's borrowed hovercar, and the rest piling into Yamcha's plane. Following the ex-bandit's aircraft, the group made their way to the settlement picked out.

* * *

_**Tailor Ford's Clothing Shop**_

Everyone looked at the outfits both Gokū and Caulifla were wearing, and were trying their hardest not to burst into a fit of laughter. Gokū was in golf clothes with a hat that was too big for his head, while Caulifla was dressed in a pretty pink tutu. Eventually everyone's composure faltered and everyone laughed at how utterly ridiculous the two looked, much to their mounting annoyance, Caulifla moreso.

"I'm guessing by the looks on your faces, this is not what you had in mind?" The tailor asked, the only calm person in this room.

"I feel ridiculous…" Gokū grumbled.

"_You_ feel ridiculous?!" Caulifla snapped. "I look like a reject from some terrible school play!"

Those comments earned even more laughter from the group. "Maybe Uranai Baba will take pity on you two and throw in a fortune on your guys' love life!" Kuririn joked mid laugh. Caulifla's face immediately flushed red and she launched a pulled sucker punch at the monk's shiny head, sending him flying out through the double doors.

"Can we get something like we were wearing before?" Gokū asked the tailor.

"Sure," The man shrugged. "I can have your pattern done in about half an hour. You want to keep the encircled turtle kanji on the back, yes?"

"Yeah. There was also one on the front where that big hole is. Oh, and can you add a hole in the back for my tail?"

"I'd like the same pattern, but with purple instead of orange," Caulifla added. "And make the undershirt pink please."

"I can do that," The tailor nodded with a smile. The pattern is fairly simple, so it shouldn't take more than an hour."

The tailor got to work with his commission. Meanwhile Kuririn waddled through the double doors looking rather annoyed and with a large bump on his head. "Still can't take a joke!" The monk snapped, earning the group's laughter redirected at Kuririn, much to the monk's chagrin.

"Alright, I'm getting back in my old outfit," Gokū said, heading towards one of the changing partitions, while Caulifla did the same for her own. About a minute later, Gokū and Caulifla were back in their old respective gis and out of the absurd get-ups that were suggested to them.

"Well, we got an hour to wait. What should we do?" Kuririn asked.

"Could hang by the saloon for a bit," Yamcha suggested with a shrug.

"How about we get Upa while we wait?" Gokū offered. "I'm sure he'll be happy to hear our progress."

"Alright," Caulifla nodded before she pulled out one of the Dragon Balls and handed it to Yamcha. "Hold this please."

"Huh?" was all Yamcha could say in his confusion.

"Just in case we get lost, right?" Gokū surmised, earning a nod from Caulifla, followed by a drawn out 'ooooh' from Yamcha. "Alright, we'll be back soon!"

With that, the duo boarded Kinto'un and sped off to retrieve their friend. Yamcha simply leaned against the outside wall of the saloon until a very loud and abrupt sneeze caught his attention. Looking over at the source, the blonde-haired woman was gone, replaced by a woman with navy blue hair, and matching eyes in place of the harsh green ones he was used to seeing. In addition, she was wearing a large 20 kilogram shell over her back and sat seiza, holding her hands in a meditative state. Seconds passed before a small blue sphere of ki manifested between her hands.

"No way," Yamcha muttered in astonishment.

"Way," An aged voice confirmed from behind Yamcha, said voice belonging to Muten Rōshi. "Lunch has been training with the Turtle School shortly after the conclusion of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. She hasn't progressed as quickly as Gokū, Caulifla, or even Kuririn, but she is making decent progress. Hell, even Bulma's giving the regimen a whirl."

"Wait-What?!" Yamcha stammered, staring at the Kame-Sennin in pure disbelief. "_Bulma_ of all people started training under you?! Without me?!"

"Hohoho! Easy lad!" Rōshi chuckled. "Truth be told, she and Lunch are helping me with training of my own. You remember Jackie Chun from the Budōkai, yes?"

"The guy who zapped Gokū but got duped because he was a pervert? That was a highlight second to Gokū's showdown with Caulifla."

"Yes, I'm sure," Rōshi said, his tone laced with mild annoyance. The hermit then leaned in for a whisper. "Gokū and Caulifla already figured it out, and don't tell anyone about it, but Jackie Chun was me."

"I KNEW IT!" Yamcha shouted, before Rōshi swiftly covered the man's mouth and shushed him. "Sorry…"

The old hermit cleared his throat. "So yeah. I've been trying to keep myself under control. Tell ya what? If you're interested, I'll train you once this whole quest is over."

"Really? I thought you were super selective of your students."

"I was, but even this old bag of bones can have his mind swayed."

The conversation went along for a while between the bandit and hermit. Lunch continued her ki control exercises until she accidentally sneezed and decided to halt her efforts there. Kuririn was sat on the porch railings of the saloon with an orange soda in hand, while Oolong was out and about causing mischief, with Pu'ar trying to put an end to the swine's shenanigans. Checka and Gebo picked out some travel clothes and picked up some other supplies all while Bulma was tinkering about with some capsulized projects she brought along for the journey. Eventually an hour passed and the tailor stepped out of his shop.

"They're ready!" The man called out, only to see no sign of the duo. "Where'd they go?"

"They went to go pick up a friend of theirs," Yamcha answered. "They should be back in a few moments."

True to Yamcha's words, Kinto'un descended from the sky, its yellow contrail ever welcome, and disembarking from the cloud were Gokū, Caulifla, and Upa.

"Hi guys!" Gokū called out as Kinto'un took to the skies again. "This is Upa."

"H-Hello everyone," The tribe boy bowed nervously. "Nice to meet you all."

Kuririn leaned in for a whisper to Gokū. "She's kinda cute," The monk said in a hushed voice.

"Dude," Caulifla said flatly, trying her damndest to not laugh. "Upa's a boy."

"O-Oh… I knew that..." Kuririn muttered from embarrassment.

"And that's how you were before you met me, tenfold," Caulifla jeered at Gokū, who frowned at the remark, but couldn't help but stifle a chuckle at how right she was.

The duo gladly took their ready clothes and looked for a secluded place to change. Once they emerged, they took a moment to admire their newly crafted clothes.

"The purple and pink suits you," Gokū complimented his friend, who smiled warmly with a light blush.

"Are we all set to go?" Yamcha called out. Everyone stepped forward and nodded - Oolong being the only reluctant one. "Alright, All aboard then!"

The group boarded their respective vehicles, Upa opting to fly in Yamcha's plane, and they took off to find the palace of Uranai Baba to find the 7th Dragon Ball.

* * *

_**Ruins of Red Ribbon Headquarters**_

It was eerily silent at the now derelict compound of the Red Ribbon Army. What was once a center of military might and organization was demolished in an afternoon by two children on the warpath. Any soldiers that did not die in the onslaught fled the complex for their lives. In the middle of the courtyard was the smoking ruin of Commander Black's battle jacket, the glass windscreen that was shattered now obscured by the mech's massive forearm. Suddenly, the large metal appendage budged with a metallic shriek. It budged again, and again, until a foot connected to a long leg finally kicked the offending limb aside. Crawling out was Commander Black, looking much worse for wear and was coughing up a storm due to the engine smoke.

"Damn… Those brats!" Commander Black swore in between coughs. "Damn that cyclopean son of a bitch for leading this entire organization to literal ruins! DAMN THEM ALL!"

The disgruntled commander brought himself to his feet and limped to the research wing to find a medical kit. Upon entering the structure, he was accosted by an aging man with long white hair, a shotgun in his hands.

"Stay back!" Dr. Gero shouted. "I'm warning you right now!"

"Whoa, whoa!" Black said, raising his hands defensively. "I'm just looking for a medkit, Doctor."

"Oh, Staff Officer Black," Gero calmed down as he put away his shotgun. "I'm surprised you're still alive. Where's your little master?"

"Dead," Black answered flatly. "He spilt the beans on his plans for the Dragon Balls, and I decided to… remove him for ill judgement."

"So you killed him and took over," Gero surmised. "You managed to beat me to the punch."

"Your plans to take over weren't lost on me, Doctor," Commander Black retorted. "Though if it's any consolation, any efforts to take over would've been justified. That shrimp planned to use the Dragon Balls to give himself a growth spurt."

"Why am I not surprised?" The doctor rolled his eyes.

"Well, the Red Ribbon Army as we know it is dead. Our entire infrastructure is collapsed and all of our top operatives are dead, incapacitated, or otherwise deserted."

"So it would seem. Luckily for me, I've planned for such contingencies."

"Whatever helps me to get payback against those runts."

"Well get in line," Gero growled dangerously. "Those brats thwarted my chances to take over _and_ robbed me of my family."

"Perhaps you could use a lab assistant?" Commander Black offered with a grin.

Gero's mustache twitched for a moment before morphing into a smile. "So long as our goals are mutual, very well," The doctor accepted before his gaze harshened. "But you had better pull your weight, or I will end you in ways you couldn't even imagine."

"I'd be lying if I didn't expect such agreements," Commander Black nodded, his smirk deepening.

"Then we are in agreement. Let us salvage what is useful and leave this disgraced compound."

The two Red Ribbon officers proceeded to inspect the rubble of the ruined complex, searching for any and all useful equipment that could be salvaged, repurposed, or if nothing else, pawned off. Gero gathered the various notes around the laboratory, including a roll of blueprints that was labeled I-E-G and a phial of green liquid with the label "C" taped to it. Gently, the doctor stored them away in a reinforced tool case and left the laboratory behind him.

"These will be your undoing, Son Gokū and Caulifla…"

* * *

Uranai Baba - Fortuneteller Baba

* * *

**A/N:** _CHAPTER 20! 100,000+ WORDS! MILESTONES APLENTY! *ahem.* This was a fun one to write, and I'd like to say thank you to those who have been reading up to this point and leaving reviews._

_So, this is an intermission between the Red Ribbon's destruction and the Baba arc, the latter of which by the way, I am looking forward to writing, as I have plans in store for how I'll deal with that chestnut, and I'm not just talking about the monk :P Regarding the story, Gebo and Checka - the pre-android persons of 16 and 21 respectively - are now with the main crew, and while I am not a fan of 21's pastry fetish, (shudder) I still felt compelled to at least give Checka a major sweet tooth._

_Regarding the Dr. Gero bit, for anyone wondering and/or confused, no, he was not in OG Dragon Ball, and in Z, where Goku said he spared Gero specifically, that was the dub mistakenly filling in the gaps. That said, he won't be working alone, as the butterfly wings of Chaos Theory be flapping. Hope this was a fun read, and leave a review and share your thoughts. :)_


	21. Chapter 21: Blood Money

_**Outside Uranai Baba's Palace**_

For kilometers around, there was nothing but sandy desert, barring the odd rocky mound to break up the terrain. The only landmark in sight was a massive lake with an odd structure at its brim. The structure was comprised of four terraces, three of which had buildings, connected to a bridge which had a dome-like structure meeting the sand, flanked by two palm trees. Yamcha's aircraft came in for a smooth landing, followed by Gebo and Checka's hovercar, while Kinto'un parked itself to allow its masters to disembark.

"This place is awfully hot, isn't it?" Upa said, several beads of sweat rolling down his face.

"It's not too bad," Yamcha waved off. The only others that looked fazed by the weather were Bulma, Oolong, and Checka, causing the ex-bandit to chuckle nervously. "Though that might be because some of us are used to this heat."

"I got ya covered," Rōshi announced, clicking and tossing a capsule to his side. Out from the 'POI' came a large cooler and several umbrellas. "Sometimes it gets toasty on my little island."

"Hey, it looks like there's a bit of a line," Gokū announced as he saw the entrance of the palace. Upon approach, the group saw several men who looked tough. Several of them gave the group a grumpy glare as they stood in line.

"Get in line please!" a wispy yet cheerful voice called out. As it got closer, it was clear the voice belonged to a ghost wearing a straw hat. "You will all get your chance in time!"

"Excuse me, is this Uranai Baba's palace?" Caulifla inquired.

"Why yes it is," The ghost replied with a nod. "Are you and this group together?"

"Uh yeah, but-"

"Eheheheheheheeee!" The ghost interrupted Caulifla with a mischevious chuckle. "I'll call you when it's your turn!~"

The ghost proceeded to float back into the palace, leaving the group somewhat weirded out, with Kuririn going so far as to call the little spectre a weirdo.

"Anyone wondering why everyone in front of us looks so tough?" Yamcha mused out loud.

"I wouldn't worry too much about it," Kuririn waved off. "They look like a bunch of buddies from a big dojo."

"And which dojo do you suppose those two came from?" Caulifla inquired, an err of sarcasm in her voice.

The girl pointed her thumb to a very well-to-do couple walking away with gleeful smiles on their faces. The man was in a well-trimmed suit with a top hat, monocle, and a cane that one could only guess the value of, what with all the gems encrusted into it. The woman was wearing an expensive scarf, dress, and shoes, and several articles of jewelry that could financially set the average person for life if sold.

"Oh of course that's where I left my solid gold pickling stone!" The rich man jovially exclaimed. "It was hiding beneath the silver-embroidered couch cushions! Silly of me to not look there to begin with!"

The couple got into their hovercar and drove off, all while everyone's minds were beginning to wonder why these thugs were in line alongside such a wealthy couple.

"The next group please follow me!~" The ghost called out.

This earned a raucous cheer from the thugs in front as they marched onward. Moments later, the voices of the thugs switched from jubilation to pure agony and begging of mercy. Minutes passed before the thugs waddled out of the palace with newfound injuries and faces that could only be described as shock from horror.

"Better luck next time, guys!~" The ghost added as it bid the thugs farewell.

"That's not a good sign," Yamcha commented, a nervous bead of sweat rolling down his scalp.

"The next group, step forward please!~" The ghost announced. Gokū, Caulifla, and the others hesitantly stepped forward and crossed the bridge of the palace, now worried for several reasons about what lay in store for them.

"I-I'm scared…" Upa muttered, nervous beads of sweat rolling down his face.

"Can't say I blame you," Kuririn responded, not bothering to save face, his bald scalp glistening even more due to the nervous sweat.

The group finally crossed the threshold of the main chamber of the palace. Inside was dimly lit, the only lighting being that from outside, along with a few candles at the doorways. To each of the doorways were pairs of skeletons standing at attention, each holding a barbed trident. In the center of the chamber was a floating crystal ball, and sitting atop the floating orb was a short old - the word 'old' being used generously here - woman with a black robe and pointed hat with straight, white hair sticking out from underneath, making her look like a witch. Her face was wrinkled into jowls and several teeth were missing from her aged smile.

"Well now!" The old woman spoke in a warbled shrill voice. "Aren't you all so young? Well, except for the bozo over there with the shell."

"Nice to see you too, big sis," Muten Rōshi nodded, his tone unimpressed. This earned a collective look of surprise at the hermit. "Oh right. Uranai Baba is my older sister."

"Cool!" Gokū exclaimed before turning to face Baba. "So, could you locate something for us?"

"Sure," Baba responded with a crooked smile. "That'll be 10 million Zeni."

"T-TEN MILLION ZENI?!" Most of the group stammered in disbelief.

"I got this covered!~" Bulma added, reaching for her wallet. She dug around and pulled out a debit card.

"Nope!" The old crone rejected. "10 million zeni in cold hard cash. I don't do plastic."

"Damnit!" Bulma cursed as she grumpily put away her debit card and wallet. The troubles of modern living at its finest.

"Well, that explains the rich couple from earlier," Caulifla nervously chuckled.

"Still the greedy sadist," Rōshi muttered.

"Hold up!" Kuririn paused. "If she's your sister, maybe you could-"

"Nope," Baba interrupted. "No freebies even for this freeloader."

"Darn," Kuririn snapped his fingers in irritation.

"Well, since you're lacking the funds, please follow me," Baba requested as her crystal ball began to float towards the back entrance. The group hesitantly complied and followed, keeping their guard up the entire time.

Where the group stepped out onto was a large round arena with marble tiling that had clearly seen better days. A lower perimeter was lined with well-trimmed grass before it broke into a stone border above the lake. Baba paused some ways into the arena and turned to face her guests.

"I'm going to have you battle my champions one by one. Win, and you get to fight the next. Lose, and one of your companions will have to step in. Beat all five, and I will divine what you're looking for free of charge." The all-seeing crone explained the rules while the fighters of the group relaxed a bit.

"So that's why those thugs from earlier were screaming!" Yamcha surmised with a hearty chuckle. "Those morons must've gotten creamed!"

"Hooohohoho!" Kuririn laughed haughtily, a smug grin forming on his face. "Ma'am, you should know that four of us made it preeetty far in the Tenka'ichi Budokai. One of us even won the whole ball of wax!"

"And it wasn't you," Caulifla jeered with a smirk of her own, causing Kuririn's face to warp from smug bastard to disgruntled child.

"And you won only because Gokū threw the match!" Kuririn retorted.

"He threw the match for good reason!" Caulifla snapped back.

"Might not have to bring out my champions after all,~" Baba commented with a chuckle.

"Guys!" Yamcha interrupted, pushing the two apart. "Maybe we should save this energy for Baba's fighters?"

"Fine," Caulifla sighed. "I say Kuririn goes first."

"Why thank you very much," Kuririn bowed.

"Uh, would it be alright if some of us spectated?" Bulma asked. "Not all of us are fighters."

"Seems fair," Baba agreed. "Pick your fighters. The bald monk is going first, so who else is going in?"

"Dibs!" the Blonde Lunch exclaimed with a raised hand.

"I'll go as well," Yamcha suggested. "Caulifla and Gokū can step up if I get knocked out."

"Alright, then I'm up first!" Kuririn announced as he took to one side of the arena and began stretching to warm up. "Hope you guys don't mind fighting if I clean up the competition!"

"Go get 'em, buddy!" Gokū cheered from the sidelines.

"Alright then," Baba said. "Count Dracula, come forth!"

"'Count Dracula?'" Kuririn repeated, now confused. "You a horror movie fan or something?"

Out from the main keep of the palace flew a small bat, leaving Kuririn even more confused. The monk's confusion would swiftly shift to shock as the bat turned into an emaciated man wearing shorts, bandages on his feet and a pair of boxing gloves. The man known as Count Dracula was deathly pale - fitting considering he was a vampire - and had a manic, almost goofy grin on his face. The creature of the night swiftly squared up into a boxing stance and chuckled madly.

"That's Count Dracula?!" Kuririn exclaimed, almost having to stifle laughter. "He looks like the discount budget version of Dracula!"

"Hold up," Caulifla interrupted. "If this guy's a vampire, shouldn't he burst into flames? It's broad daylight right now."

"Not happening!" The vampire cackled as he pulled out a bottle of sunscreen. "SPF-100 with 24-hour protection!"

"Well, might as well see how this guy fights," Kuririn sighed as he settled into a comfortable fighting stance.

"Begin!" Baba exclaimed with a sinister toothless grin.

Immediately Dracula jumped up into the air and transformed into a bat. The winged vampire was quick - too quick for Kuririn to properly track - and flew circles around the monk to daze him. The bat flew in from behind and transformed back to his human form and pulled the boy into a headlock and bit down on his shiny head.

"OUCH!" Kuririn shouted as the vampire held strong, and began sucking blood from his scalp. "Get off of me you overgrown leech!"

Despite all the flailing about Kuririn performed, Dracula did not budge. Thinking quickly, Kuririn backflipped to try and conk the vampire off in an empty suplex, but the emaciated blood-sucker saw this coming and sprung off, leaving Kuririn to hit his head on the marble tile. The monk wobbly got to his feet while Dracula wiped a dribble of his victim's blood from his chin, followed by a belch.

"Tasty!" The goofy count cackled as he savored the liter of blood he had drained from his victim. "Tastes like chestnut!"

"Do you give up?" Baba called from beyond the ring, her ghost attendant at her side holding a bag of blood. "We'll give you a blood transfusion if you cry uncle!"

"You think I'll give up just like that?!" Kuririn seethed. Immediately, blood began to spurt out from his head and his dizziness began to escalate.

"Kuririn, keep your head cool!" Caulifla called out. "You'll bleed more if you get worked up!"

Kuririn quickly heeded his friend's advice and began to mutter a mantra to calm himself. Surely enough the spurts of blood on his head had slowed down and he was calm.

"Nice hairdo!" Gokū jeered, causing the spectators to stifle snickers and Kuririn's frustration to mount once again, as well as his blood pressure, causing the boy to go woozy again. Dracula quickly capitalized on this and kneed the light-headed monk off his feet and into the water. "Oops..."

"Down for the count!" Baba announced with a toothless grin.

The ghost quickly fished the unconscious monk out of the water and quickly wrapped bandages around his head before administering the transfusion. Eventually Kuririn regained consciousness and glared at Gokū.

"Why'd you have to open your big mouth?!" Kuririn shouted at his friend.

"I'm glad he did, 'cause I got this one in the bag," Lunch boasted as she stepped onto the arena, a box of snacks in her hand. Kuririn looked at the blond woman with a look of befuddlement.

"...Is she for real right now?" Kuririn muttered. "She chooses _now_ to start snacking?"

"Well aren't you the nonchalant one?" Baba commented. "Alright, begin!"

"Geeeeeheheheheeee!" Dracula cackled madly as he charged forward ready to drink more blood, up until Lunch gave a very exasperated sigh. Immediately Dracula stopped and began to gag for breath. "What is that foul stench?! Are you eating poison?!"

"Nope," Lunch shrugged, pulling a morsel from her box. "Garlic flavored crackers. You want one?~"

"GARLIC?! THE BANE OF VAMPIRES?! In that case, I'll finish you the old fashioned way!"

The vampire outstretched his fists while Lunch pulled out a necklace chain that was around her neck that wasn't there earlier, and at the end of the chain was a cross.

"Hey, can I get an appraisal on this?~" Lunch cheekily asked with a devious smirk. "I want to make sure this is an authentic cross necklace."

The vampire screamed like a little girl and immediately turned into a bat to fly away, but Lunch was counting on this. She jumped up quickly and delivered a powerful axe kick to the winged creature, sending it careening into the lake.

"And I didn't even have to break out my mallet and stake," Lunch jeered as the spectators cheered for her victory.

"Nicely done deducing his weaknesses," Baba complimented. "And extra kudos on the delivery. However, your opponents will only get stronger from here."

"If I can nab one more win before the others step up, I won't complain," Lunch shrugged. "So, who's the other schmuck whose ass I have to kick?"

"Hohoho!" Baba chuckled. "He's already here!"

Everyone looked around to see where this fighter was, but there was nothing. The crone grinned sinisterly. "Can't see him eh? Well that's because he's invisible!"

"Invisible?!" Various members of the group - Lunch included - exclaimed.

"Begin!"

Lunch began to look around for any possible signs this spectre of a man might give until a solid hit to her ribs sent her tumbling.

"Ouch!" Lunch shouted in pain and frustration. "You damn cheap-shotting-"

Lunch did not finish her sentence as a blow to her back sent her stumbling forward, followed by various attacks to her limbs and torso.

'_Okay, keep it together,'_ the blonde said mentally to calm herself down. '_He's invisible, but he's also tangible. Just gotta keep an ear out for his footsteps and the whooshes of wind with his movements…'_

Lunch closed her eyes and focused on her hearing. It was faint, but she heard light footsteps moving about along with disturbances in the air. A swift whistle of air caught her attention and she quickly ducked. A surprised grunt could be heard as she planted her hands on the tiled floor and vaulted her right leg backwards for a kick. The attack connected, if only for a small amount.

"Gotcha!" Lunch cheered as she got back to her feet. "Can't hide if you can be heard! Now to-"

"OoOoH ThEy CaLl Me ThE AlL-sEeInG CrRrRrOoOoOoOnE!~" Baba began to sing in a terrible off-key manner that immediately distracted Lunch from her battle. Even the spectators felt the need to cover their ears at how dreadful it was, Gokū and Caulifla especially. "If ThErE's SoMeThInG tHaT yOu WoUlD lIkE tO kNoOoOoOoOw…~"

Immediately Lunch was once again being knocked about as Baba continued her cacophony that she called a song.

"WILL YOU SHUT THE HELL UP YOU WRINKLED OLD BITCH?!" Lunch shouted in pure frustration, only to earn another invisible attack to the side of her face, all while Baba chuckled mischeviously at the blonde's misfortune. '_Damnit! I need a way to see this jackass if I can't keep an ear out! Wait…'_ The proverbial lightbulb went off in Lunch's head. '_If Baba can influence this fight, oh I'm gonna regret this…'_

"Yo Muten Rōshi!" Lunch called out to the spectator area. "Tilt your head up! Everyone else look over there!"

The crowd did as instructed while the Kame-Sennin tilted his head upwards.

"This isn't good for my neck, you know that?" Rōshi complained as he kept his eyes on the arena. Lunch kept getting knocked around by invisible attacks, until her window of opportunity came. With a quick motion, she pulled her shirt up, and was not wearing a bra…

...Immediately Rōshi's nose began to spray blood like an out of control garden hose and drenched the invisible champion in the turtle hermit's nose blood. Lunch smirked and put her shirt down, followed by a swift kick to the invisible man's groin, causing him to whine and collapse to the ground, writing in absolute pain. The man then pulled out a little white flag on a stick as he clutched his groin, trying to ease the pain.

"Hmph," Baba grunted. "I see you still can't control those nose-bleeds of yours brother."

"At least I've been trying!" Rōshi retorted, holding a now bloodied napkin to his nose. "Same can't be said about your greed and sadism."

"Oh yes, excellent work right there," Baba jeered with immense sarcasm in her tone.

"Alright shut up you two!" Lunch shouted, a twinge of red in her face. "I'm bailing after that fight. Yumcha, or whatever your name is, you're up!"

Lunch stormed off the arena, causing the hermit to back away in fear, now that he had seen the goodies, all while Yamcha stepped onto the arena.

"Alright, who's up next?" Yamcha asked aloud, readying himself for the upcoming fight.

"I admire your gusto, but we'll be switching arenas for these next fights," Baba announced. "Follow me."

Yamcha shrugged as they walked back into the main building, taking a stairwell upwards. The sparrow on Gebo's shoulder began to flutter madly while the large man tried to calm it down.

"You guys go on ahead," Gebo said as he stopped his ascent. "Toriyama isn't liking whatever's up there."

"Toriyama?" The group collectively repeated.

"The name of my bird here," Gebo answered, pointing a finger to the sparrow on his shoulder. "I'll be outside."

"I'll go with him," Checka offered. "I'm not sure I want to see this next fight."

"Suit yourself," Baba shrugged, continuing her ascent up the stairs.

Yamcha walked up to Muten Rōshi's side. "So, where are we going?" The ex-bandit asked.

"The Devil's Cesspool," The Kame-Sennin answered, his tone grave. "My advice? Don't die."

"Well that's reassuring," Yamcha sarcastically commented as they made their way up. The old crone paused in front of a wooden door.

"In here is where the challengers will go," Baba ushered Yamcha to the door. "Everyone else, follow me. We get the best seats in the house further up."

The rest of the group ascended the stairwell while Yamcha stood in front of the door he was told, and took a deep breath before entering. He was their third fighter going up against Baba's third fighter. He opened the door and stepped inside. This fight should be good.

* * *

Count Dracula - Fangs the Vampire

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, short chapter, but it was amusing to write. Baba be a greedy witch, and since I had Bulma tag along, it wasn't hard to come up with a valid excuse to keep her wallet out of the equation. As for the fights with the first two Halloween party rejects, they were fun to write, 'Specially Lunch just nonchalantly smiting a vampire. Fun fact, the original manga chapters when this arc was published were around October and November, which explains all the halloween monsters. Hope this was a fun read, albeit a short one, and leave a review with your thoughts. :)_


	22. Chapter 22: The Devil's Cesspool

_**Devil's Cesspool**_

This fight won't be good.

Yamcha stepped into a large open chamber with the only ground being two large masoned tongues originating from the mouths of two large demon statues, each sitting on what looked like a toilet. Where he emerged was one of the mouths. All that was below that was a massive lake of dark, sickly green liquid that was bubbling dangerously. Over to the right above a rather large sculpture of a toilet paper roll and holder was a window, though which the rest of the group were viewing from, Uranai Baba included.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and those otherwise specified, The Devil's Cesspool!" Baba announced. "You will be doing battle atop these demons' tongues, and down below you is a swamp of caustic acid. Observe."

The old crone magically conjured an old steak from nowhere and held it precariously over the aforementioned acid. With a gentle flick of her wrist, she dropped it and when the steak made contact, the acid began to react violently as the steak was swiftly dissolved away, leaving a foul puff of smoke.

"Should you fall into the swamp, you will most certainly die as the acid will eat away at you until not even your bones remain," Baba elaborated, earning a frightful stammer from the bandit challenger and most of the group. Gokū and Caulifla on the other hand looked at this development with a challenging glint in their eyes. "You can still back out now. After all, you still have so much to live for, being so young and all."

"W-Well, I live for battles like these!" Yamcha retorted, the waver in his voice betraying his faltering confidence.

"That's the spirit!" Baba chuckled sinisterly. "Alright, Come on out Mummy!"

"You really have to bring your mother into this?" Yamcha asked, confused and slightly amused. All the crone did was snicker at the bandit's choice in words. Slowly from the other demon's mouth came a large man wrapped in bandages and a sinister grin. Yamcha now understood what the all-seeing crone meant when she said 'mummy,' but couldn't help to jeer once more. "Seriously, did you have to bring your mother into this?"

"Sticks and stones, pal," The Mummy retorted, his grin never fading. "If you live through this, you'll be looking like me for a bit."

"Knock 'em dead Yamcha!" Pu'ar cheered from the viewing area.

"Show that overgrown roll of toilet paper who's boss!" Bulma added.

"Alright, I guess we have a fight," Baba chuckled with sinister mirth. "Remember that if you cry uncle or fall in the acid, you lose. Begin!"

The desert bandit immediately settled into a comfortable fighting stance, taking mental notes of the larger bandage-wrapped man before him. '_He's big, but he also looks heavy, the sort who relies on pure strength to win,'_ Yamcha surmised mentally, smirking to myself. '_Safe bet that I'll have the speed and technique advantage.'_

With a mighty shout, Yamcha shot forward, primed to attack. The Mummy seemed intent on doing the same, but kept quiet, his grin ever present. What surprised the bandit was when the gauze-covered man kicked upward and vaulted over with surprising speed and agility.

"You were betting on a speed advantage, eh?" The Mummy chuckled as he turned around to face a surprised Yamcha. He then brought his massive leg up for a kick to the head, which Yamcha barely ducked under, but The Mummy quickly followed it up with several punches, some were dodged or parried, others hit home.

Up in the viewing area, Bulma and Pu'ar especially were horrified that Yamcha of all fighters was being demolished so easily, and Rōshi could only watch as a nervous bead of sweat rolled down his bald scalp.

"He's unusually fast…" The Kame-Sennin muttered, witnessing the battle for himself.

"You think he's fast?" Gokū innocently asked, surprising Rōshi even further.

"The Mummy might have a speed advantage over Yamcha, but he's not _that_ fast," Caulifla added, tracking the battle with ease. "I wonder what tricks he'll have up his sleeve?"

Back at the battle, The Mummy delivered a heavy chop to Yamcha's head, causing him to stumble over and fall over the edge. This caused the spectators to all gasp in unison, but the bandit was quick to grab the ledge. Looming over Yamcha, The Mummy simply chuckled darkly and retained his ever present smirk.

"Get up," The Mummy ordered. "It's no fun if the fight ends so soon."

Yamcha hefted himself back onto the platform and assumed his fighting stance once more. "Geez," he groaned. "You'd think that a salt-shriveled carcass would be slow, but lo and behold."

"You seem better at insults than fighting," The Mummy jeered. "If this is the best you got, you might as well give up now."

Yamcha launched himself forward and curled his knuckles for his trademark attack. "Rogafufuken!"

Taking the visage of a wolf, Yamcha clawed and kicked at The Mummy with newfound speed, but it was not enough as the gauze-covered man casually dodged each attack with ease. The bandit followed up with several knife-hand jabs, but The Mummy slid underneath the barrage and kicked at his feet, upsetting his balance, but fortunately landing on the platform. The Mummy counted on this and leaped upwards before falling back down, knee aimed directly at the fallen bandit's gut. Yamcha gasped out in pain as The Mummy stood up. Seconds passed before the downed bandit made a quick sweep at The Mummy's legs, upsetting his balance and sending him over the edge. Everyone looked at this with surprise, Baba included.

"Forgive me," Yamcha apologized sullenly as he looked over the edge. To his surprise, The Mummy simply grinned, and suddenly a roll of gauze unfurled from his arm and wrapped around one of the demon tongues serving as the arena. He then swung to one of the walls above the lake of acid and vaulted upwards, landing back on the arena.

"Sneaky move pal," The Mummy commented. "Gonna stoop to any trick to win, won't ya? Well I hope you're ready for the consequences!"

Immediately The Mummy's perpetual grin fell to a frown and he assumed a fighter's stance that mirrored Yamcha's.

"Uh-oh," Gokū hummed. "He's about to fight seriously."

"Y-You mean he wasn't before?!" Kuririn stammered out at his friend's observation.

"He hasn't bothered to assume a fighting stance up 'till now," Caulifla added. "Not to mention that smile of his is gone."

The Mummy immediately launched towards his opponent, launching a left hook square at Yamcha's jaw, sending him reeling, but The Mummy did not let up, and followed up the punch with a swift knee to the gut and a furious axe handle to the back of his head. Yamcha buckled at the pain he was dealing with, but The Mummy picked him up by the scruff of his gi and held him aloft over the edge.

"So, you gonna cry uncle, or melt in acid?" The Mummy asked, his original grin returning in full force.

"I… I give," Yamcha croaked out, earning an even toothier grin from The Mummy as he threw his opponent into the mouth of the demon he came out of. A minute passed before the disgraced bandit hobbled his way up to the viewing area.

"Yamcha!" Pu'ar screamed as he floated over to his wounded partner in crime. "Are you alright?!"

"I'll be fine," The bandit waved off as he coughed, still reeling from the knee to his gut especially. "Sorry guys."

"Hmph. We may need to re-evaluate what we're up against," Rōshi sagely suggested. "Well, our best options now are Gokū and Caulifla. ...Speaking of which, where are they?"

The group looked around to find where they went, only to see them in a corner in a heated discussion, followed up by a quick game of rock paper scissors, to which Caulifla won. She stood up promptly and saw the group looking at her and Gokū with confused faces.

"What?" Caulifla asked in an accusing tone. "We were figuring out how to balance our fights out so we each get a fair share."

"She'll go first for the next round and a half," Gokū elaborated.

"Uh, a round and a half?" Rōshi repeated.

"You'll see!~" Caulifla winked as she approached Baba. "I'm up next."

"Well, I appreciate your gusto kiddo," Baba commented, offering a crooked smile. "Though I doubt you'll put up a better fight than the bandit over there."

"Caulifla, don't do this!" Upa pleaded. "You've done enough here!"

"Ease up buddy," Caulifla dismissed. "I got this one in the bag."

"She's right," Gokū nodded in confirmation. "She'll win this one easily."

Caulifla smirked at her friend's vote of confidence as she raced down the stairs. Moments later, she emerged in the arena, doing some quick stretches to warm up. The mummy then barked out in laughter.

"You're kidding right?!" The Mummy said in between laughs. "This little pipsqueak is my next opponent?"

"She's gonna die," Kuririn muttered in despair.

"I wouldn't be so sure Kuririn," Muten Rōshi retorted. "The Caulifla we knew before would likely fall, but after training with Master Karin…"

"She has this one no problem," Gokū said with an earnest smile. "Trust me on this one."

"Alright, let's get this fight underway!" Baba announced, prompting The Mummy to settle into a comfortable stance, all while Caulifla simply stood there, the only movement being wrapping her tail around her waist.

"Alright Bandages, your move," Caulifla invited, folding her arms casually. "Unless you want me to go first."

The Mummy said nothing in response and settled into a comfortable fighting stance. Taking note of his diminutive opponent, his confident smirk faltered into a look of bewilderment. '_That's weird…'_ The gauze-wrapped man thought. '_She's acting so casually, but her guard is air tight. And yet I feel… small…'_

"I'm waiting!" Caulifla called out, slightly tilting her head to the side.

Baba's impatience began to mount as well. "Come on already!" The old crone snapped. "Stop standing around like an idiot and get on with it!"

"Alright!" The Mummy shouted. "You asked for it!"

With a mighty roar, The Mummy charged forward all while Caulifla stood in place, smirk ever present. She did not even bother to raise her arms to block and The Mummy landed a solid hit to the girl's gut, sending her bouncing across the narrow arena. The spectators, barring Gokū, all gasped as The Mummy proceeded to kick Caulifla around like a ragdoll, her not making any motion to block or rebound. With one final kick, Caulifla was knocked against the forehead of one of the demon statues and fell face down in a heap.

"Heh! Too easy!" The Mummy boasted, pleased with how easy the fight was won. "I don't know what I was even worried about!"

"Losing consciousness counts as a loss," Baba chuckled evilly. "Foolish to send a mere child into this fight."

"S-She didn't even try to defend herself…" Yamcha stammered, seeing the girl who once beat her so easily, fall even easier to the opponent he had just lost to.

"What kind of plan was that?!" Lunch snapped. "Letting herself be bounced around like tha… aaaah… AaaaaCHO!" Lunch's hair turned navy blue and her demeanor shifted from harsh to sweet. "Excuse me."

"She's just testing the waters," Gokū answered as he watched the fight. "She's fine."

"Fine?!" Kuririn shouted.

"Hey! If you're awake, say something!" Baba ordered in a mocking tone. No response. "Well?"

"Did you just stand there and let yourself get pummeled or something?" The mummy jeered with raucous laughter.

"As a matter of fact, I did.~"

The Mummy gasped in surprise as Caulifla pointed one finger in the air and her voice carried no sign of pain or fatigue. With one swift motion she propped herself up onto her fours and stood up to face her opponent once more.

"Like Gokū said, I was testing the waters," Caulifla elaborated. "Probably won't do that next time, but I wanted to give it a shot. Now what say I take my turn?"

Caulifla's smirk deepened as she pulled her fist back and let loose a palm strike in the air, followed by a mighty shout. The kiai barreled towards The Mummy and the cannonball-like gust of wind hit him square in the gut, causing him to grunt in shock and fall over. Moments passed before the girl walked over to poke The Mummy to see if he was still alive, and to her satisfaction, he was, and was very much out cold.

"Well, that was easy," Caulifla shrugged. "So, should I haul this guy back to his sarcophagus for another century or two of sleep or what?"

Baba only grumbled quietly to herself as her third champion was defeated with a single blow, and this girl was none the worse for wear after the pummeling she received. Two skeletons emerged from the opposite demon's mouth to pick The Mummy up and carry him away, leaving Caulifla ready for the next opponent.

"S-She didn't even touch him," Lunch stammered, seeing what the little monkey girl had done.

"She likes to use a kiai whenever her opponents are weaker than her," Gokū explained, a proud grin adorned on his face. "A lot less dangerous than letting her punches do too much damage or firing something like the Kamehameha."

"Well that makes me feel a lot better," Yamcha sarcastically commented, not happy that he was easily bested by the same technique a few months prior.

"This is actually quite unprecedented," Rōshi commented. "I never figured Caulifla would be so powerful on her own, even for all she have going for her. Now it makes sense how those two were able to dismantle the Red Ribbon Army so easily."

"She and Gokū are that strong?" Bulma asked. "Well, at least I'm not training to fight them."

"Speaking of which," Yamcha interrupted. "Why didn't you tell me you were training with Muten Rōshi?!"

"Hey, it's not all peaches and cream with this old perv!" Bulma angrily retorted. Her choice in words caused the old hermit to chuckle, and said chuckle caused the lavender-haired genius to stare daggers at the bald master before turning back to Yamcha. "Besides, after you went gallivanting about West City and flirting with every woman within a 50 mile radius, I needed to get away from the likes of you!"

The odd couple began to devolve into a heated argument while the remaining spectators did their best to ignore the raucous debate.

"So, 2 more guys and we get that divination, right?" Caulifla asked the crone floating above.

"Oh don't take this next fight so lightly girl," Baba retorted, her usual smile now contorted into a frustrated frown. "You'll get yours. Alright! The 4th champion! Come forth Devil!"

From the opposite demon's mouth emerged a tall muscular man with black spandex and bat wings on his back. His face was blue and adorned with a sinister grin unlike the cocky smirk The Mummy showcased before, and atop his head were two large horns that curved slightly backward. He stepped up and folded his arms, smirk deepening to reveal fangs in his dental work. At his backside was a thin barbed tail, fitting for any denizen of Hell.

"I swear I'm in a Halloween special or something," Cauliifla muttered, analyzing her opponent.

"She's bringing out The Devil already?!" Rōshi exclaimed. "He always served as Baba's right-hand man! So who's the final champion…?"

"Alright, Begin!" Baba exclaimed, signalling for the fight to commence.

Immediately The Devil leaped into the air, aided by the wings on his back, causing some of the spectators to cry fowl, but Caulifla dismissed their grievances and simply smiled.

"I hope you're ready to take a visit to my place!" The Devil exclaimed with a sadistic smile. "I always enjoy having guests in Hell!"

With a mighty shout, The Devil dove towards Caulifla, but she saw this coming a mile away and feinted backwards, followed by a swift vault of her legs, kicking the demon man in the chest and sending him across the arena. Everyone except for Gokū was surprised by such an effortless counter, but The Devil was now fuming as he rubbed his chest where he had been kicked. Caulifla relaxed and simply smirked.

"I give."

"WHAT?!" Everyone screamed out in unison, fueled by several different emotions. Surprise, anger, despair, just to name a few.

"I said I give," Caulifla repeated, deftly leaping up to the viewing area and unraveling her tail. "It's Gokū's turn."

Suddenly, it became clear to Muten Rōshi what they meant by 'round and a half.'

"Thanks!" Gokū nodded as the two bumped fists and the spiky-haired boy leaped down onto the arena, not bothering to take the stairwell. Once he landed on the stone tongue, he wrapped his tail around his waist, ready to fight.

The Devil was left absolutely speechless while Baba was trying to form a coherent sentence but only spat out nonsensical babble until she finally recomposed herself and smirked once more. "Alright, but you do realize you wasted a fighter here," She explained as she turned towards the arena. "Show no mercy, Devil!"

"Of course, M'lady!" The Devil politely complied, smirking once again.

Immediately he charged at the boy, clawing the air in the hopes of injuring him, but missed every time as Gokū dodged each attack with ease. One sweeping low kick forced him to spring upward, but Gokū's arc was going over and behind The Devil. Once he landed, he used what momentum he had from the fall to launch himself into a charge and land a swift left hook onto The Devil's face, knocking him over the edge. With a swift pivot of his center of gravity, he began vigorously flapping his wings to reach the platform once again and landed, completely out of breath.

"Heh heh heh… You think… That'll be enough… to stop the DEVIL?!" The demon man boasted in between breaths.

"Nope!" Gokū nonchalantly answered with a smile. "I was just testing you."

"T-Testing me?!" The Devil stammered out in disbelief.

"This 'Devil' Dude doesn't seem like much!" Kuririn commented from the sidelines.

"I'd like to see you fight him then," Caulifla suggested with a smug grin, only for Kuririn to backpedal on his comment.

"Caulifla's right," Rōshi added. "The Devil is a two-time champion of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. It's just that Son Gokū here is that much better."

Baba, meanwhile, was beginning to grow fed up with the shenanigans of this fight. "Devil!" the old witch shouted. "Stop goofing around and give it your all!"

"Of course, M'lady," The Devil sighed to recompose himself. "I'll end this with my true power."

The Devil proceeded to place his index and middle fingers onto his temples, looking as if he were to try some mind control technique, but this was not to be so. Gokū held his guard up despite his confusion.

"Even the most sweet-faced goody-goody two-shoes has a tiny drop of evil in them," The Devil explained, his smirk deepening to further pronounce his fangs. "This move will take that drop, no matter how small, and make it grow, and grow, until you're blown to bits!"

"OH SHIT!" Rōshi cursed as he realized what The Devil was about to do. "It's the Beam of Evil! He's seriously planning to kill you!"

"E-Ease up Devil!" Baba hastily ordered. "You don't have to go that far!"

The order came too late as The Devil thrust his fingers forward and a coiling beam shot out, impacting Gokū and surrounding him in a static aura, all while The Devil cackled madly.

"That's it!" The demon cheered in between insane cackles. "Let that evil in your heart grow, and grow, and EXPLODE! HAHAHAHA! BOOOM! Booom…! Haha... Uh… Boom?"

The aura entrapping Gokū fizzled out with an inglorious poof all while Gokū looked around him even more confused than when he began.

"Was that it?" Gokū genuinely asked, no err of mockery in his tone. "A light show and poof?"

"T-This can't be!" The Devil stammered in pure disbelief. "No one should be immune to my Beam of Evil! There _has_ to be some evil in you to exploit, damnit!"

"What is this child…?" Baba questioned, seeing the sole survivor of her right-hand man's ultimate technique. "His heart has to be either that of an infant, or an animal!"

Everyone in the spectator wing cheered, relieved that Gokū survived, all while Muten Rōshi breathed a sigh of relief.

"Either that boy's mind is pure, or positively blank," Rōshi commented, relieved that one of his top students lived through that. "Well, he's alive regardless. Lucky I wasn't in the crossfire."

"Why? Don't want to see how innocent you are?~" Bulma jeered with a knowing smirk.

"I'm working on it, damnit!" The Kame-Sennin retorted with a snap.

Meanwhile in the arena, Gokū held his guard up, waiting to see what sort of fast one his opponent will pull now. The Devil recovered from his dumbstruck stupor and worked fast to conjure a plan of attack, as well as a barbed trident out of thin air.

"Alright!" The Devil shouted in fury. "I'm gonna have to do this the old-fashioned way!"

Immediately The Devil started attacking Gokū with precision attacks with his trident, now narrowly missing as it was clear the spawn of Hell was more proficient with a weapon in hand.

"Hey! No fair!" Gokū cried out as he worked to avoid the jabs and swipes of The Devil's trident. "Since when can he use weapons?!"

"I didn't say fighters couldn't,~" Baba cheekily answered.

"Gokū, heads up!" Caulifla shouted from the spectator wing as a large curved blade started spiraling towards the boy. He immediately caught onto what the plan was and smirked. With one swift grab of the blade's hilt, he brought it down onto The Devil's trident and cut the barbs clean off the pole.

"Thanks Caulifla!" Gokū nodded as he tossed the blade to the Demon's mouth behind him. "Now we're back on even footing! You're getting serious now, so I'll get serious too!"

Gokū launched himself into a kick aimed directly towards The Devil. Before anyone had time to register what had happened, The Devil was lodged into the wall behind the demon statue, which had a large chunk of its head missing. Everyone was dumbstruck at how fast Gokū pulled that maneuver except for Caulifla, who was pleased to see her friend fight.

"Uh, heh heh, oops," Gokū meekly chuckled as he scratched the back of his head. "Probably should've dialed that down a bit."

"D-Did he just…?" Yamcha began to ask but could not finish the sentence as he was too stupefied as to what had just happened.

"I didn't even see that move," Rōshi commented, several nervous beads of sweat now rolling down his scalp. "Me of all people, I couldn't even track it…"

"That was awesome!" Kuririn exclaimed, seeing how easily his friend ended the fight.

"Probably could've done with a kiai yourself buddy!" Caulifla commented, but could not hold back the smile she was wearing.

"The next guy should probably be an absolute chump if these guys are any indicator!" Bulma cheered, eager to see Gokū take home the gold.

"Hmph," Baba grunted. "I will admit you're the first group to make it this far, but you haven't seen a warrior like my last champion…"

Baba began to chuckle with an evil smirk as she rubbed her hands together with sinister glee.

"Now the time has come! The time for…"

"Me."

Out from the shattered demon mouth was a short old man wearing a swirl-patterned orange tangzhuang with a white trim. His face was completely obscured, barring what appeared to be the ends of a bushy mustache, by a strange cat mask, and he wore a simple cap with a cotton ball on top, complete with a ring halo floating over his head.

"Hello," The man politely greeted with a wave of his hand.

"Huh?" Gokū humed with absolute bewilderment. Of all the opponents he had expected, this was not it. Regardless, he decided to return the gesture. "H-Hello."

"You're kidding me, right?!" Kuririn exclaimed, just as confused as the rest of the group. "_That's_ Uranai Baba's ace in the hole?! He's got this in the bag!"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Kuririn," Caulifla retorted. "Yamcha's opponent looked like a generic thug, but easily had the speed advantage."

"Madame Crone?" The old man called out with a clearing of his throat. "If I may, I would like to fight this boy, no holds barred. Could we perhaps switch back to the outside arena? I will fight better there."

"Hmph. I don't see why not," Baba shrugged as she motioned for the spectators to return outside.

The group soon filed out of The Devil's Cesspool and back outside, where they saw Checka having a friendly conversation with one of the ghosts and Gebo with several more birds on his shoulders than before, and a small cup of bird seed in one hand.

"Hey guys!" Bulma exclaimed, earning the attention of the two as they waved cheerfully, Gebo being more cautious with his motions, as he did not want to spook the birds perched on his shoulders. "The last fight is gonna be out here again."

"Oh?" Checka hummed. "I wasn't expecting that."

The two former Red Ribbon operatives followed the group out to the arena, eager to see Gokū put on a good show. The boy in question, however, seemed off about something.

"You alright Gokū?" Caulifla inquired, wondering what's gotten into her friend. "You're not hungry again, are you?"

"No, it's not that," Gokū answered honestly. "Something about the smell of this guy smells… nice."

"Maybe he has some cologne?" Caulifla guessed, looking at the supposed 5th champion who was talking with Uranai Baba.

"No, I'm not sure how to phrase it, but his smell… reminds me of home."

"Weird. I don't smell it, and I've seen your home."

"You guys are weird, you know that?" Kuririn added, earning a confused look from Gokū and a mildly annoyed look from Caulifla.

Further back, Muten Rōshi was just as puzzled as Gokū was, emphasized by the stroking of his facial hair.

"Muten Rōshi, sir, is something wrong?" Yamcha inquired, seeing the old hermit lost in thought. "You haven't said anything for a bit."

"He's probably worrying too much about Gokū's guaranteed win!" Bulma suggested with a smile. "He's got this in the bag!"

"That's not it," Rōshi said, disproving Bulma's hypothesis. "Something about the masked champion's voice is oddly familiar. I feel like I met him before, but I can't say for certain. Regardless, I sense he is quite powerful. A master even."

"Him? Powerful? A master?" Yamcha repeated, having a hard time believing Rōshi's words.

"He doesn't look like much of a master to me," Bulma added, seeing the old masked man.

"Did I look like a master to you when we first met?" Rōshi retorted.

"Point taken."

'_What is it about you that I'm missing?'_ Rōshi asked mentally. '_My sister wouldn't have you slated as the final champion unless he was skilled and powerful. Unless… No, it couldn't be. ...Could it?'_

* * *

The Mummy - Bandages The Mummy

The Devil - Spike The Devil Man

Devil's Cesspool - Devil's Toilet

Beam of Evil - Devilmite Beam

* * *

**A/N:** _It's a wonder there were no skeletons to fight in this arc. Anyways, HOO boy! 'Nother chapter for the books! Nothing much to say beyond anecdotal stuff, since these fights were more or less like they were in the manga, barring Goku and Caulifla's little agreement to split the fight with The Devil. Who is this mystery fighter?~ (Answer should be blatantly obvious to anyone who has read/watched OG Dragon Ball.) Hope this was a fun read, and do leave a review sharing your thoughts. :)_


	23. Chapter 23: Son Gohan

_**Uranai Baba's Palace, Outside Arena**_

"Alright!" Baba called out with a small grin. "The final match! Should my champion surrender, not that that'll happen of course, I will provide you with your divination."

"Well that's new," Gokū said with an inquisitive look, but quickly shrugged it off. "Fine by me. If I make you cry uncle, I win."

"Go get 'em Gokū!" Caulifla cheered.

"Go, Go, Gokū!" Kuririn chanted to add to the moral support.

"Alright, I'm gonna win this!" Gokū announced, confident he would win this fight.

The entirety of the group stood at the edge of the arena where the bridge was met and waited eagerly for the fight to begin. In the ring stood the nameless champion, the odd cat mask obscuring any discernible thoughts or emotions, but politely bowed. Opposite of him stood Son Gokū, eager to fight this strange opponent, but also confused at the same time, given the general theme of the opponents beforehand, this was definitely an oddball. He wrapped his tail around his waist and settled into a comfortable stance.

"Excuse me!" The masked man exclaimed. "What happened to the pre-match greeting?"

"Huh? Oh!" Gokū hummed as it took a moment to register what the enigmatic champion meant. He immediately broke his stance and offered a simple bow, one fist against one palm. "Sorry. Haven't had a formal battle since the Tenka'ichi Budokai."

"I can forgive a minor slip-up," The masked man dismissed.

"For a guy in a mask, he seems a bit uptight on manners," Kuririn commented, watching the exchange, all while Muten Rōshi was stroking his beard, lost in thought.

"Let the match begin!" Baba called out.

Immediately, the two fighters settled into their respective fighting stances and did not move a muscle. Muten Rōshi observed and knew the two fighters were trying to gauge the other's strengths and weaknesses. Seconds ticked into minutes as neither fighter budged.

'_Definitely a strange guy,'_ Gokū thought. '_He's in a different league compared to the competition before him. He knows what he's doing…'_

"Make your move!" The masked man commanded.

Gokū quickly complied as he sprang forward, pulling a fist back to deliver a swift punch to the man's mask. Immediately the masked man delivered a swift knife hand jab that Gokū was barely able to duck under, but he quickly rebounded his momentum to deliver an uppercut punch, which was blocked by the masked man's right arm, and braced with the other. Both fighters grunted with equal strain and quickly jumped backwards to gain distance. The masked man was not going to wait and jumped upward in an arc over the boy's head, catching him by surprise. When the man landed behind Gokū, he immediately launched himself forward to deliver a powerful left hook to Gokū's right cheek, sending him flying backwards. Before he could skid across the cracked tiles, he planted his hands onto the ground and vaulted into another charge and delivered a swift kick to the man's jaw, staggering him backwards while Gokū landed a few meters back to gain distance.

Everyone in the spectator wing was left dumbstruck, except for Caulifla, who was watching the fight with awe and pride. Gokū was strong, but this mystery guy with the pension for manners was no pushover.

"You're good!" Gokū complimented with a smirk. "I haven't gotten this excited since the finals at the Budokai!"

"Oh ho!" The masked man laughed. "I assume Jackie Chun gave you the runaround?"

"No, I got him in the semifinals," Gokū answered honestly, but was weirded out about how this guy knew Jackie Chun.

"_You_ beat Jackie Chun in the semifinals?!" The masked man exclaimed with surprise.

"If you want, I'll tell you about it after this fight," Gokū retorted with a challenging smirk, settling into an offensive stance.

"Very well," The masked man sighed as he settled into a stance of his own, before launching himself towards his opponent with near blinding speed, delivering a series of attacks with his fists, most of which Gokū blocked or parried, missing a few and taking the hits. One solid parry allowed the boy to deliver a swift kick to the side of the masked man's head, but before Gokū could redirect the momentum of his attack, the masked man grabbed his foot and heaved the boy into the air and slammed him into the pavement face first, followed up by a swift throw high into the sky.

"I don't like the looks of that," Caulifla muttered as she watched the fight. "Tossing him in the air is one thing, but what's he gonna follow up with?"

The masked man squatted down and sprung himself upwards like a rocket to meet Gokū's altitude. With a deft flip, he pivoted his center of gravity and delivered a massive kick to the boy, sending him downwards well past terminal velocity and crashing into the arena tiles, damaging the floor even further and burying the monkey boy underneath the newly broken rubble.

"Ooh, that must have hurt," The masked man winced audibly as he saw the impact.

Before anyone could say a word on what happened, Gokū shot out of the hole like a bullet from a gun, blasting several broken tiles away in the process. Almost instantly, Gokū returned to the old man's altitude and delivered a swift kick to his torso, sending him flying towards the roof of Uranai Baba's palace. Before he could crash into the roof, the masked man quickly pivoted and landed with his feet, only to springboard off the surface and launch towards Gokū with a kick of his own. Gokū finally landed when he saw this maneuver and quickly stood upright and clenched his body, staring defiantly at the man's incoming kick. With a loud crack, the kick hit home, right at the center of his abdomen and right above where his belt was wrapped, but the boy did not keel over, but instead tanked the attack looking mildly stung.

Everyone in the spectator wing was surprised at how Gokū took that kick without flinching, while the masked man was now sweating from behind the cat face obscuring his own. Meanwhile, Gokū simply snickered with a wild grin.

"You really are strong!" Gokū complimented, settling into another fighting stance. "This really is exciting!"

'_Goodness!'_ The masked man thought. '_What kind of training did he undergo?! He took my kick with little trouble. Always full of surprises, eh? Well let me show you a surprise of my own…'_

Slowly and methodically, the masked man gestured his hands around, curling all of his fingers into a clawed position before he brought his wrists together.

"What the-?!" Muten Rōshi exclaimed, immediately recognizing the technique

"Is this guy gonna…?" Yamcha muttered, not believing someone else knew it.

"Kaaaa… Meeee…" The old man chanted as he pulled his arms back and a bright blue star of ki coalesced in his palms.

"You're kidding me!" Kuririn exclaimed, now certain this was the patented Turtle School technique.

"Haaaa… Meeee…"

"Really?!" Gokū exclaimed with pure surprise. "You know the Kamehame-"

"HA!"

The masked man finished Gokū's word with the technique and thrust his hands forward, unleashing a fierce blue beam of ki barreling towards the spiky-haired boy. Gokū's face harshened into a glara as he did not move and the beam seemingly went right through him. The mystery man dissipated the technique and was surprised to see Gokū fade to dust, wearing a cocky smirk, surprising everyone.

"A Zanzoken!" The old man exclaimed, now looking around for his target.

"Yoohoo!~" A distant voice cried out from above, only for it to be Gokū in freefall. "Ya missed!~"

"Ho ho! Now _that's_ surprising!" The masked man chuckled at this development. "Dodging my Kamehameha and leaving an after-image behind all to escape upwards."

'_It has to be him!'_ Muten Rōshi thought, seeing the mystery fighter launch his very own technique. '_It can't be anyone else!'_

"And now it's my turn!" Gokū shouted as he dove downwards to attack.

"A fatal mistake taking to the air lad!" The masked man called out, motioning his hands to perform another Kamehameha. "You have little control in freefall, and now I have a clean shot at you again!"

"We'll see about that!" Gokū retorted with a grin, curling his thumb, index, and middle fingers into a claw position and clenching his ring and pinky fingers, and putting his hands to his side. "Kaaaa… Meeee…"

"What?! You know the Kamehameha as well?!" The masked man exclaimed, his technique faltering.

'_You're close, but not quite!'_ Caulifla thought with a smirk. '_Let's see how he does it!'_

An unusually red star of ki began to build within Gokū's clawed palms until he thrust it forward.

"BĀSUTO!"

A large red sphere of ki shot towards the masked man with incredible speed, and took him by complete surprise. Before the mystery man could jump out of the way, Gokū swiftly pulled his arms outward and the sphere detonated a few meters above, the wake of the explosion sending him flying backwards. Gokū neatly landed on his feet, but quickly sprung upwards as the masked man landed on his back a few meters away, struggling to get back up. The monkey boy brought out his knee and landed hard on the halo-adorned man's sternum, causing him to gasp for air. Uranai Baba was surprised and distraught that her final champion was brought down so easily while the remaining spectators cheered for his little maneuver. Gokū stood over his opponent, feeling very triumphant.

"So, that was your spin-off move I take it?" Rōshi asked Caulifla, who was grinning proudly, easily answering the hermit's question. "Not bad kiddo."

"So, do you give?" Gokū asked, raising a fist in case the masked man was not done yet. "If not, I'll knock you out cold!"

The masked man simply chuckled as he tried to regain his breath, confusing the boy standing above him. With a quick motion, the masked man gripped the tail wrapped around Gokū's waist and squeezed tightly. The spiky-haired boy let out a strained grunt before losing strength in his body. The masked man got to his feet and swung Gokū down onto the pavement with ease.

"Oh crap!" Caulifla exclaimed. "He's gone for his tail!"

"What do you mean?" Bulma asked, now seeing Gokū tossed around with ease.

"If you squeeze his tail, he gets weak!" Yamcha explained, now worried for his friend's well-being. "It's as if he's figured it out! He really must be a master to spot something like that."

"Careless, weren't you?" The masked man chuckled, holding the boy upside down by his tail. What he did not expect to see, however, was a mild sign of struggle, but nothing too major. "You may as well concede now."

"N-Never…!" Gokū groaned out, only for the masked man to proceed with slamming the boy into the ground.

"Eeeeeheheheheeee! The tables have turned you runt!" Baba cackled with renewed glee, watching the masked man repeatedly slam Gokū into the pavement by his tail. "Should've trained your tail more!"

"He didn't figure it out," Muten Rōshi surmised. "He knew all along."

"What do you mean?" Bulma inquired, now wondering if the old hermit has figured out the mystery fighter.

"At first I was skeptical, but this sealed it," The Kame-Sennin sighed. "The masked man is Gokū's dead grandfather, Son Gohan."

"WHAT?!" The majority of the crowd cried out at this suggestion. Lunch, Upa, Checka, and Gebo were unaware of Gokū's past, and Caulifla was not listening. She was too focused on Gokū's situation, her worry building by the minute.

"Concede already!" The masked man commanded. "If you don't you'll die!"

"STOP!" Caulifla cried out. "You're gonna rip off his tail!"

The masked man was suddenly distracted by this sudden outburst and his grip slackened ever so slightly, but it was enough for Gokū's strength to recover. With a quick motion of his hips and his tail, the boy whipped the old man away and freed his tail. With the remaining momentum, he gingerly wrapped the tail around his waist once more.

"G-Gokū's dead grandfather?!" Kuririn stammered, now in a state of pure disbelief.

"S-Son Gohan?!" Bulma exclaimed. "But I thought he died a long time ago!"

"Well, yes he did," Muten Rōshi nodded. "See the halo floating above his head?"

Back to the fight, Gokū recomposed a fighting stance, gingerly rubbing the base of his tail with how sore it was, while the masked man stood in a manner that looked as if he was caught.

"Rrrrrgh, You were trying to rip off my tail?!" Gokū snarled with newfound fury. "It took eight months for it to grow back last time! Now I'm mad!"

The masked man flinched at this realization but then proceeded to chuckle and fold his arms behind his back.

"Uncle," The masked man said flatly. "I lose."

Gokū was now completely dumbstruck as his stance slackened and the victory slowly sunk in. Baba simply sighed now seeing her final champion called the match and everyone in the sidelines were equal parts confused and elated.

"You've gotten quite strong, Gokū," The masked man said politely. "You've trained well, though lacking in some key areas."

"D-Do I know you from somewhere…?" Gokū asked, even more confused as the man addressed him like he had known him since forever.

"You neglected to train your tail," The masked man pointed at Gokū's waist, which was wrapped by his own tail. "Clever to wrap it around your waist, but I did warn you about it."

"W-wait a minute," Gokū stammered, the epiphany now coming to him. "A-Are you t-trying to tell me-"

"Oh goodness me, how embarrassing," The masked man chuckled as he began to remove the cat mask from his face. "It took you this long to figure it out? That's right, lad. It's me."

The man removed his mask and behind it was a well-aged face with kindness behind his eyes, a thick white mustache atop his upper lip, and a sort of goofy neutral expression that was almost welcoming. Gokū meanwhile stared in awe as he began to smile and tears began to well in his eyes.

"G-Grandpa Gohan…?" The spiky-haired boy croaked out, seeing the man who cared for him when he was so little once more. "Grandpa Gohan!"

Immediately Gokū ran in for a hug, tears of joy running down his face, all while Gohan pleaded for his adoptive grandson to be careful.

"Easy there my boy," Gohan said as he patted the boy's back. "No need to cry."

Over by the spectators, Bulma and Yamcha simply smiled at this development, while Pu'ar broke into tears at this reunion. Kuririn couldn't help but shed a tear at the sight, and Caulifla was no different.

"I'm sorry for almost ripping off your tail, lad," Gohan apologized. "It looked like you hadn't properly trained there, so I thought I'd give a refresher."

"It's fine," Gokū sniffled, wiping the tears from his eyes. "And I'm sorry about the full moon."

"T-The full moon?!" Gohan stammered with surprise. "So, you know…?"

"Yeah," Gokū nodded. "But I'm training to control it! Caulifla helped me figure out that it's possible, and we do it far away to make sure no one gets hurt!"

"Goodness me!" Gohan exclaimed. "I'm impressed lad, though if anything, I should be the one apologizing. I should've told you the truth sooner. In any case, judging by your gi, you've received training from Muten Rōshi?"

Gokū nodded as the older man turned to face the Kame-Sennin with a bow.

"Long time no see, Sensei," Gohan greeted his old teacher. "I do apologize for the disguises, but I wanted it to be a surprise."

"It's fine, Son," Muten Rōshi waved off. "If anything, I wouldn't have figured out it was you if you didn't use my technique."

"That reminds me!" Gokū exclaimed. "When did you come back to life, Grandpa?!"

"Well, technically, I'm still dead," Gohan explained. "Uranai Baba is one who can travel freely between this world and the afterlife, and likes to scout out champions for matches here. The pay is nothing to sneeze at either. However, those she finds are guests back to the living world, and can only stay for 24 hours."

"So, her picking you for this day was total coincidence?!" Bulma inquired, somewhat confused.

"'Total coincidence' she says!" Muten Rōshi scoffed. "I told you that my sister was clairvoyant! She knew we'd be coming today, right?"

"Yup," Baba nodded. "Son Gohan told me to let him know if and when a lad with a tail would show up, but I wasn't expecting his grandson! I also didn't expect a lass with a tail to follow alongside."

"Uh, hello," Caulifla greeted with a small bow, now introducing herself. "It's nice to meet you Mr. Son."

"Well aren't you well-mannered?" Gohan commented on Caulifla's introduction. "So you're the one who's been helping Gokū train to control himself under a full moon?"

"Y-Yeah, that's me," Caulifla answered, feeling unusually nervous around this man. " Of course I also helped bring him up to speed on some schooling and made him an awesome chef."

"Well, I can't thank you enough for that!" Gohan chuckled, earning a small bashful look and blush from the girl. "Though, forgive me if this is asking too much, but if you have a tail, does that mean…"

"Yeah," Caulifla nodded sullenly. "The full moon turns me into an Oozaru as well."

Gohan stroked his mustache, lost in thought. '_Another just like Gokū?'_ The deceased master thought. '_Perhaps I shouldn't keep any further secrets, though I can only wonder how it'll affect the lad's friend here…'_

"Oh, Grandpa!" Gokū exclaimed, racing off. "I've got something to show you!"

Gohan watched as Gokū raced off to the front of Uranai Baba's palace and raced back with a backpack over his shoulder. Carefully he opened the pack and gently spilled six amber jewels onto the ground, each containing a set amount of red stars within, and one of them carrying a familiar number and pattern, which Gokū picked up and held in front of his adoptive grandfather.

"Well now!" Gohan said with a chuckle. "It's been a while since I've seen that little bauble, though I didn't realize there were more!"

"It's a long story, sir," Bulma knowingly added. "That bauble changed Gokū's life forever."

* * *

Hours passed as the group recounted the tale of the Dragon Balls, from Gokū's first encounter with Bulma, all the way to Gokū and Caulifla's single-handed crushing of the Red Ribbon Army, bringing them to seek one more so that they may resurrect Upa's father. Gohan was listening to this story with awe and was proud that Gokū made so many new friends along the way.

"This whole time I thought your spirit was stuck inside this one!" Gokū chuckled, holding up the four star Dragon Ball. "Though you being here kinda proves me wrong on that."

"And once we find the last one with one star, Upa's dad will be back among the living!" Kuririn announced, a wide smile on the monk's face. He looked to see Upa somewhat off-put by the idea. "What's the matter?"

"Well," Upa began. "Gokū's grandfather is dead. To just revive my dad just seems unfair."

"Oh, don't worry about little old me!" Gohan dismissed with a hearty laugh. "I've lived a good long life, and the afterlife has plenty to keep me occupied. Your father still has much life to live, so using such a wish on me would be wasteful."

"T-Thank you sir!" Upa thanked with a gleeful bow.

"Now Gokū," Gohan said to the boy. "Can I pull you and Caulifla over for a moment?"

"Uh, sure," Gokū hesitantly nodded, while Caulifla reluctantly shrugged. The three walked to the far side of the arena and the deceased master turned to face the two monkey children.

"You're not gonna marry us together, are you?!" Caulifla quickly inquired, her face turning red and nervous beads of sweat immediately rolling down her face.

"Wha-? No, silly!" Gohan dismissed with a chuckle before turning serious again. "It's just that since Gokū had found someone like himself, I wouldn't feel right taking any more secrets about him to my grave."

"What do you mean?" Gokū asked, now giving his adoptive grandfather his full attention.

"Well, you remember the bamboo grove back home?" Gokan asked, kneeling down and placing a hand on the boy's shoulder. "The one I said was hallowed?"

"Yeah?" Gokū nodded, wondering where he was going with this.

"Well, at the entrance is a journal I've written down telling of your past before you hit your head all those years ago."

Gokū instinctively reached for the back of his head where he usually scratches, meanwhile Caulifla looked at her friend with surprise.

"You hit your head when you were little?!" The girl exclaimed.

"He did," Gohan answered before turning his attention back to Gokū. "And in that journal details everything I know about you before that point. Deeper in the grove is where you'll find where I found you, and you may find answers to questions even I couldn't begin to answer. I planned to go with you and show you eventually, but…"

Gohan pointed to the halo above his head and then turned his attention to Caulifla. "Now, the reason I'm telling you this as well Lass, is because if you're just like Gokū, this may be a revelation to you as well."

"Oookay?" Caulifla nodded, not sure what the old man was getting at.

"Well, I only hope you two are ready for such a trek," Gohan finished with a ruffle of their heads. The trio walked back over to the main group where Baba had hopped off her crystal ball for the first time since meeting her, and she had it floating in front of her.

"Well, I'm a crone of my word," Baba sighed. "I'll divine this Dragon Ball for you."

"Before that, may I say my good-byes?" Gohan requested, to which Baba nodded. Gohan turned to Gokū. "I'm glad to see you again lad. I'm also glad we've cleared this up."

"Couldn't agree more!" Gokū nodded with renewed vigor.

"I'm glad to see you're as spry as ever. Well, for someone who's dead anyways," Muten Rōshi commented, earning a hearty chuckle from Gohan.

"Likewise, Sensei," Gohan nodded. "If you see him again, tell Gyūmaō I said hello." Gohan then turned to Uranai Baba with a bow. "Thank you very much Madame for this opportunity. Truly."

"Sure," Baba responded. "Take care!"

"Well, I'll be seeing you all one day!" Gohan said with one last good-bye. "Take care, everyone."

With that, Son Gohan vanished from the spot, returning to the afterlife once more, and more at peace than when he had begun.

"Good-bye, Grandpa Gohan," Gokū said. "I'll make sure to toughen up my tail from here on out and continue to get stronger!"

"Sheesh, if you get any stronger, I'll be out of work," Rōshi muttered.

"What work?" Baba retorted with a small snicker, causing her younger brother to grumble with indignation. "Well, you want me to divine the location of the last Dragon Ball, right?"

Everyone nodded.

"Alright, lemme work my magic," Baba sighed. She held her hands up to the crystal ball and began reciting an incantation that was more like gibberish to the layman's observer. Whatever it was, it worked, and the crystal ball began to glow. Baba proceeded to observe as the image within became clear. "It's moving?"

"Moving?" Gokū asked.

"See for yourself!" Baba beckoned as she pointed to the crystal ball. "The Dragon Ball you're looking for is in an old car! See?!"

Sure enough, within the crystal ball was a moving black Mercedes-Benz driving down a desert road. Gokū tried to make out who was in the car, but couldn't due to how tinted the windows were.

"That's weird," Bulma groaned as she clicked the Dragon Radar several times. "Why isn't it showing up on my radar?"

"Where is it?!" Gokū impatiently asked. "Where's it going?!"

"It's over thattaway," Baba answered with a finger point in the right direction. "About... 200 kilometers away, and coming this way."

"Thank you Baba!" Gokū thanked as he began to bounce with newfound glee. "KINTO'UN!"

Immediately the somersault cloud descended to greet its master, surprising Baba in the process.

"You wanna come with, Caulifla?" Gokū asked as he hopped onto the yellow cloud.

"I don't see why not," Caulifla eagerly answered, clamoring onto the cloud. "Someone's gonna do the talking if these guys aren't too bad."

"Well welcome aboard!" Gokū nodded. "Alright Kinto'un! Go thattaway!"

The yellow cloud complied to Gokū's command and zoomed off in the direction of the last Dragon Ball, leaving Baba and the others behind.

"So those two squirts can ride a Kinto'un," Baba muttered. "They definitely have a leg up on you bro."

"Oh shut up," Rōshi grumbled.

"It still doesn't make sense," Bulma muttered. "If it's in a car, why can't we track it with my radar?"

"Well, at least there's no traffic for miles," Yamcha sighed. "They should be back soon. Though I can't shake this feeling..."

"You think something bad's gonna happen?" Pu'ar inquired.

"No, not bad, but… weird…"

* * *

_**200 Kilometers Away, 2 Hour Earlier**_

A small console with a tall satellite dish connected to it displayed an unforgiving battle between Son Gokū and the masked man. The boy was weakened as his tail was held tight by the older fighter. Huddled around this console was an odd assortment of people. A tall beautiful woman in a long trench coat and straight raven-black hair, this was Mai. A short fox man in what can be described as a ninja's gi, complete with katana and scabbard slung over his shoulder, that was Shu. And a blue goblin-like creature with dapper clothing that made him look more like a clown than royalty, was none other than the self-proclaimed emperor of the world, Pilaf, and he was cackling madly.

"YES!" Pilaf cheered in between cackles. "That brat's weak spot is his tail!"

"Good thing we had that satellite up in orbit, sir," The woman known as Mai commented.

"When we found out that monster brat was looking for the Dragon Balls again, I nearly gave up, but God has not abandoned me!"

"That box I put together works like a charm!" Shu snickered. "No radar on Earth will be able to detect it while it's in there!"

"And with the 6 Dragon Balls that little monkey brat has, we'll have all 7 in no time!" Pilaf squealed with glee. "Why was I even scared of that little kid?! At long last, Emperor Pilaf will reign supreme over the world! MUAHAHAHAHAHA!... Laugh with me!"

"Uh, Muahahahaha!...!" Mai and Shu half-heartedly laughed alongside their impish master.

"Now let's go steal some Dragon Balls!" Pilaf cheered as the other two packed away the equipment into an old black Mercedes-Benz, with Mai at the wheel, Pilaf riding shotgun, and Shu in the back. With that, they were off, world domination within their grasp!

...It's not happening.

* * *

**A/N:** _HOOOOO SCHITT! What could possibly be hidden within the hallowed bamboo grove at Mount Paozu?!~ This was a fun chapter to write. The fight was fun, the closure was fun, and what's this?! More secrets?! (I need to calm the fuq down.) But yeah, Goku be keeping his tail instead of having it snap off AGAIN. Also, the Pilaf Crew! I'm gonna have so much fun tormenting those Team Rocket oafs in the next chapter. Anyways, I hope this was a fun read, and do leave a review sharing your thoughts. :)_


	24. 24: Team Pilaf's blasting off agaaain!

_**200 Kilometers from Uranai Baba's Palace**_

Driving down the road in a black Mecedes-Benz in the shotgun seat sat the diminutive 'emperor' Pilaf giggling with glee as his ambitions were so close to fruition. In the driver's seat, Mai had a confident smirk while Shu was sitting in the back with an excited grin.

"Should we go over the plan one more time just in case?" Shu asked, peeking his head over one of the front car seats.

"I don't see why not," Pilaf nodded. "We find the brat, break out our new state-of-the-art equipment, squeeze his tail, and nab the Dragon Balls! If the others give us trouble, that brat can be used as leverage!"

"A sound plan, sir," Mai nodded, keeping her eyes on the road.

"Indeed it is!" Pilaf added with glee. "This time I'm guaranteed to have my wish granted by Shenlong, and the world will be mine!"

"If you don't mind me asking, what'll you do once you rule the world?" Shu asked, now curious as to his superior's plans.

"Hm? Well, Obviously, uh, I'd start with… um… I could uh…" Pilaf began to drawl out as he had no clue what he would do, but immediately caught himself and retorted back with a shout. "Nevermind that! That's on a need-to-know basis!"

"Oh. Okay," Shu shrugged with relentment.

"Wait, something's up ahead," Mai announced as she gave a squint to see what's further up the road. What she saw was what looked like a little kid waving at the car, but then recognized the hair… "I-It's the kid!"

"WHAT?!" Pilaf screamed in surprise and horror. "B-But how could he have found us?! The Dragon Ball is hidden and shouldn't be on any radar!"

"O-Orders sir?" Mai stammered, trying to maintain her composure.

"FLOOR IT!" Pilaf ordered with a loud shout. "Better to have that kid as road kill than a thorn in our sides!"

Mai immediately complied and forced the engine of the car to scream and drive well past the speed limit, intent on running down Gokū. The boy looked confused for a moment, but immediately caught onto what the driver was doing and jumped over the speeding vehicle, which upon missing its target, screeched to a halt, kicking up a lot of dirt for about 50 meters.

"Okay, not good guys," Gokū shrugged as he heard the car engine die down. He then got a good look at the three faces in the vehicle and almost immediately recognized them. "Wait a minute! Pilaf?!"

"Crap! He recognized us!" Shu whimpered as he heard the boy's voice. "What're we gonna do sir?!"

"Calm down for one!" Pilaf demanded, followed up with a deep breath of his own to regain his composure. "At least he's alone, so we have an advantage. Let's try negotiation first, and _then_ move to the plan if that fails."

Pilaf opened the box and removed the one star Dragon Ball from within.

"Come on out you guys!" Gokū demanded, keeping on his toes. Caulifla soon dropped out of the sky from Kinto'un next to her friend. "Oh hey. I told you about Pilaf, right?"

"The rice dish or the blue guy who tried to roast you in a metal box?" Caulifla retorted with a cheeky grin.

"You told _me_ about the rice dish," Gokū retorted, smirking at Caulifla's humor. "The Pilaf guy I told you about, along with his goons, are in that car."

"Figures," Caulifla sighed with an eyeroll.

The trio proceeded to step out of the vehicle with confident looks on their faces, but that confidence immediately faded into looks of terror when they saw not just one child with a tail…

"T-THERE'S TWO OF THEM?!" Pilaf screamed in disbelief, all composure he possessed before evaporating in an instant. The self-proclaimed emperor caught his lapse in composure and cleared his throat. "I'm impressed you were able to locate our Dragon Ball."

"Can we cut to the chase?" Gokū sighed with mild annoyance. "You're gonna use the Dragon Balls to rule the world, and I'm not gonna let it happen. You might as well hand that one over."

"Well consider this," Pilaf began, holding his Dragon Ball in front of his face. "If you fight us and you win, I will surrender this ball. If you lose and we win, you'll surrender the 6 you've already gathered."

"How'd you know I have 6?" Gokū asked, though he had a sneaking suspicion it was because of some radar system.

"Haha! I know everything!" Pilaf boasted with a hearty laugh.

"Really?" Caulifla retorted, her grin deepening in smugness. "Because you looked pretty freaked out when you saw that I exist.~"

"YOU'RE NOT INVOLVED IN THIS!" Pilaf shouted with renewed anger.

"I'm feeling pretty involved," Caulifla retorted, folding her arms and casually tilting her head to the side. "Look, I dunno what your deal is, but we have a friend that needs that last ball more than some little blue goblin in a clown costume."

"C-Clown… costume…?" Pilaf stammered quietly, an absolutely stupefied look on his face, before it morphed into a red-tinted visage of petty anger. "**YOU DARE INSULT THE GREAT EMPEROR PILAF?! CAPSULES AWAY!"**

With that, Pilaf and his minions each drew from their sleeves a capsule before giving it a click and tossing it to the ground. From the resulting 3 explosions came the most odd assortment of robots. One was very obtuse, for lack of a better word, with large arms and stubby legs, which Mai quickly hopped into and powered on. Shu took the one that was more the complete opposite with very long legs and tiny gun-like arms connected to a pod-like torso, and Pilaf - fitting for his stature - took the smallest one, which was nothing more than a pod with stubby arms and legs.

"Wahahahaha!" Pilaf laughed maniacally as his voice was carried through his mech's speaker system. "What do you think?! You brats should surrender now, for the Pilaf Machine is invincible!"

"Is this guy for real?" Caulifla asked Gokū, gesturing a thumb to the odd trio's mech suits.

"He's weird," Gokū shrugged. "But whatever. These guys are looking for a fight."

"Confident, are ya?" Pilaf interrupted the duo's conversation. "If you're gonna mock the mechanical marvels my genius has created, you'll regret it! Humans are but ants compared to its power!"

Pilaf's mech extended a pointed finger towards the monkey children. "Mai! Show them how terrible this machine really is!"

"W-What?!" Mai Stammered, her voice amplified over her own loudspeaker. "W-Why don't you give the first demonstration?"

"HOW DARE YOU ARGUE WITH ME?!" Pilaf shouted back. "Do you not trust the Pilaf Machine?!"

"How 'bout I show you how terrible that bucket of bolts is personally?~" Caulifla suggested before she sent a flying kick square into Pilaf's diminutive mech, sending it flying for several meters before it crashed into a nearby cliff face, prompting the other disproportionate mechs to rush over to the fallen one's aid.

"Lord Pilaf, sir!" Shu cried out. "Are you alright?!"

"Do I look alright?!" Pilaf shouted back as his mech wobbily got back to its feet. "Alright, screw it! All troops stand by! Deploy the ultimate tail squeeze!"

"Yes sir!" Mai and Shu cried out in unison as the trio began to encircle the spiky-haired children.

"'Tail squeeze?'" Caulifla repeated as she wrapped her tail gently around her waist. "These guys were spying on us!"

"We can still take these guys down!" Gokū dismissed, also wrapping his tail and placing his back against Caulifla's. "They can't get our tails if we're back-to-back!"

"Nice thinking," Caulifla said with a smirk.

"Oh crap!" Pilaf cursed. "We can't get their tails! We need a new plan! Hey you two! Time out, okay?"

The three mechs soon ran over to the side and huddled, hushed whispers carrying from their loudspeakers. Gokū let out an annoyed groan while Caulifla simply palmed her face.

"This is just embarrassing," Caulifla sighed as she slid her hand down her face. "How 'bout the moment they get back, we charge 'em, okay?"

"Read my mind," Gokū sighed. "These guys are so weird they're annoying."

Eventually the whispering ceased as the Pilaf crew broke and returned to their targets at large.

"Hahaha! Sorry to keep you wai-"

"Oh shut up!" Gokū shouted as he interrupted Pilaf's boasting with a heavy punch, sending his mech rolling away.

Caulifla took this opportunity to charge at the largest mech piloted by Mai and dove down to deliver a sweeping kick at the obtuse vehicle's proportionally stubby legs, but in a panic, Mai was able to grip Caulifla with her larger mechanical arms and held her as tight as she could. Shu walked over and his gun-like arms unleashed a torrent of fire aimed at the entrapped girl, but Gokū immediately delivered a swift kick to the taller mech, sending it toppling over and followed up with a swift slash of his Nyoibō along one of Mai's arms, severing the large portion of machine clean off. The boy sighed as he put the red pole back in its holster, but immediately blushed and turned his attention away from his friend and back to the offending mechs, bracing his ears for the worst.

"_**WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH YOU PEOPLE?!"**_

Caulifla let out a furious scream of anger and embarrassment as her face turned red as a brick. She dove for a nearby shrub to hide her shame, and threw her scimitar at the mech piloted by the ninja fox, the blade cutting its legs clean off and causing the pod to topple over. "Kick their asses Gokū!"

"You went and made Caulifla mad!" Gokū snarled as he swung his Nyoibō at the offending mechs as to dice them to pieces. By the time he finished his attack, the oblong mechs crumbled to pieces, leaving the 3 vulnerable pilots unscathed, standing around a bunch of finely cut shrapnel, and absolutely trembling.

"W-We didn't even test out the combiner function of the machine…" Shu stammered, unable to move from his spot.

"W-What is this kid…?" Mai asked, trying her best not to wet herself.

"T-This isn't over! You haven't seen the last of Emperor Pi-"

Pilaf began to defiantly boast before Gokū threw an interrupting punch at the imp's face - a very pulled punch - that sent him flying and sliding against the ground in an unconscious heap. Goku deftly caught the Dragon Ball that fell from Pilaf's grip. The boy turned his attention to the self-proclaimed emperor's subordinates who immediately flinched backwards, but then Gokū turned his attention squarely to Shu.

"You owe my friend some new clothes," Gokū said sternly, a steely gaze staring at the fox man.

"O-Of course sir!" Shu whimpered as he began to remove his gi, leaving himself in a tank top and boxers. He handed over his gi and backed away, trembling the entire time. "H-Here you go."

"Your boss is a nutcase, you know that?" Gokū sighed as he turned to deliver the appropriated gi to his friend, all while averting his gaze for her benefit. He paused for a moment, not turning back to face the two. "Oh, and unless you guys want the same beating as your boss, I suggest you book it!"

Immediately Mai and Shu kicked themselves into overdrive, scooping up their unconscious blue leader and piling into their car, slamming on the gas and driving away. Caulifla meanwhile got herself dressed in Shu's gi, grumbling to herself and face still tinted red.

"Thanks for that," Caulifla sighed, finally simmering down. She noticed Gokū was still looking away. "I'm decent now."

"No problem," Gokū said with a sigh, seeing his friend again, but still averting eye contact. "We should probably head back and pick up Upa."

"Yeah," Caulifla said, averting eye contact as well. "KINTO'UN!"

The yellow cloud descended from the sky and parked itself in front of the two children. They both hopped aboard and Gokū beckoned the magical cloud to return to Uranai Baba's palace. The two sat there in awkward silence for the whole trip, but the silence was broken at the very end.

"There it is!" Gokū exclaimed, pointing down to the structure down below. "Hey everyone!"

Oh hey! Gokū's back!" Kuririn announced, looking up at the sky and seeing the familiar yellow contrail.

"Looks like those two got it," Rōshi said, a smile twitching under his facial hair.

The two children disembarked from their cumulus transport while Gokū held up the one star Dragon Ball with a triumphant grin on his face.

"You found it!" Bulma cheered, seeing the amber relic once again. "Where was it?"

"And what happened to your clothes?" Kuririn asked Caulifla, whose face began to turn red and frown.

"Pilaf," Gokū and Caulifla said simultaneously. Bulma gave a knowing 'oooooh' while Kuririn wanted to push the matter further.

"Pilaf? What's a rice dish got to-"

"Kuririn, don't," Gokū interrupted his bald friend, immediately taking notice of Caulifla's temper. "Trust me, you don't want to push this one."

"I'll take your word for it," Kuririn nodded once he saw Caulifla's frown warp into an expression of anger, before it finally subsided.

"Anyways, let's get Upa back to Karin Sanctuary!" Gokū announced as he and Caulifla boarded Kinto'un once more, and helped the tribal boy aboard. "We'll be back when we're done, guys!"

With that, Kinto'un zoomed off for Upa's homeland, where the dragon god Shenlong can finally be summoned.

"Aw man," Kuririn sighed. "I wanted to see this Shenlong as well."

"Maybe next time, lad," Rōshi said, planting a hand on the monk's shoulder.

"Those two dismantled an army and 5 champions just to revive someone who was killed," Yamcha commented. "Those two are something else."

"More than you realize," Uranai Baba added. "Those two will save the world one day."

This left everyone speechless, for they knew Uranai Baba could see the future, but it was clear she was leaving out how or when. All they could do was stand in awe at how amazing those two are.

* * *

_**Karin Sanctuary**_

Kinto'un parked itself next to the large totem pole and everyone disembarked. Gokū gently rolled the Dragon Balls from a satchel onto the grass. The balls appeared to glow a tad brighter as they were all within close proximity with each other.

"Alright, ready to get your wish Upa?" Gokū asked the tribe boy.

"Y-Yes sir!" Upa hesitantly nodded, hiding behind a nearby tree. Cauliifla was now eager to see this mythical dragon for the first time.

"Alright," Gokū sighed, holding his hands in front of the seven amber spheres. "Come forth Shenlong! We summon you to grant our wish!"

At first, nothing happened, but then the seven orange spheres began to pulse with a golden light, and the sky, which was once bright and blue as day, turned black as night, as if to herald the arrival of a god. Clouds began to rumble, and soon a loud thunderous clap emitted from the Dragon Balls as a long bolt of lightning shot from the gathered spheres, soon coiling into a more snake-like form around the totem pole of Karin Tower. As the light faded, green scales took their place, with large, muscular arms tipped with razor-sharp claws lining a serpentine body. At the end of the trail was a large dragon's head with stag horns shooting out of its skull, impossibly long feelers just below its nostrils waving carelessly in the air, and blood-red eyes that gazed upon the three below. When all the light faded from the body, a gust of wind blew to finalize the appearance.

Shenlong had been summoned.

"This… This is unreal!" Caulifla gasped as she saw the giant serpentine dragon coil itself comfortably around the totem pole, its tail ending in the impossibly bright light where the Dragon Balls were.

"He's as awesome as last time!" Gokū gasped as he had seen the impressive serpent once before, but to see him upclose was a completely different experience.

"_**You who have disturbed my slumber,"**_ Shenlong spoke, his voice booming and ominous. "_**Reflect upon your desires. I shall grant any wish, but only one..."**_

"That's your cue, Upa!" Gokū turned to the tribe boy, who was practically trembling at the sight of this god of dragons.

"R-Right," Upa nodded, trying to steel himself for the wish. "Great Shenong, My father, Bora, was murdered by an assassin! My wish is to bring him back to life!"

"Can it be done?" Gokū asked, wanting to make certain.

"_**Resurrecting a fallen mortal is a trifle,"**_ Shenlong answered, giving a slow nod with his large head. "_**It shall be done…"**_

With a low grumble that reverberated throughout the entire area, Shenlong's eyes widened slightly and began to glow a brighter red. Over by Bora's grave, the recently disturbed soil began to shake, as the man buried there slowly dug himself out, looking none the worse for wear, but absolutely surprised and confused. Upa, meanwhile, saw his father, once again among the world of the living, and immediately raced over to hug him, tears of joy rolling down the boy's face.

"Upa?!" Bora said as he held his crying son. "That's right… I was…"

"You were killed, Father," Upa finished, wiping the tears from his face. "Son Gokū and Caulifla gathered the Dragon Balls and brought you back!"

"He...?" Bora gasped, seeing the large dragon god above his land. "Amazing…"

"_**Your wish is granted,"**_ Shenlong said, his voice as booming as ever. "_**Farewell…"**_

Shenlong's body vanished, and the Dragon Balls began to rise up into the sky. Gokū's eyes were tracking one of the seven spheres in particular. The spheres collided with one another, and immediately they began to scatter. That is when Gokū leapt up and caught the one he was tracking. When he landed, the sphere was a pale stone, and the sky, once as black as night, returned to day as Shenlong's presence had faded.

Caulifla fell onto her backside and let out a massive sigh, holding another white stone in her hand.

"That… was amazing!" Caulifla sighed, feeling out of breath from the whole experience.

"Gokū! Caulifla!" Upa called out as he ran towards his friends. "Why did you jump up just now?"

"When a wish is granted, the Dragon Balls scatter across the world," Gokū answered, holding the now inert four star Dragon Ball for all to see. "I just grabbed my Grandpa Gohan's ball before that."

"B-But, it's stone," Upa stammered, having a tough time believing that was the same amber bauble that caused so much trouble.

"They turn to stone after the dragon disappears. They'll turn back after a year. Which one did you catch, Caulifla?"

"Me?!" Caulifla exclaimed, feeling caught red-handed, but relented, a small blush forming over her face. "The uh, Six Star Ball. The first one we found."

"Son Gokū, Caulifla, I cannot thank you enough!" Bora thanked the duo.

"It was nothing!" Gokū dismissed with his trademark goofy grin.

"They climbed Karin Tower, Father!" Upa explained, with newfound glee. "They also defeated the assassin who killed you!"

"You two truly are a blessing upon this land," Bora congratulated.

"Well, we better get going," Gokū said as he called down Kinto'un.

"So soon?" Bora asked, feeling off-put by the sudden departure. "Won't you stay just a little longer? Enough for a feast of gratitude?"

"I'd love to, but we said we'd be back after we finished here," Caulifla said. "We'll come by to visit when we can though!"

"Yeah!" Gokū nodded as he jumped atop a parked Kinto'un, followed by Caulifla. "Oh, and Upa, if you decide to climb Karin Tower, Tell Master Karin we said hello!"

"Sure thing!" Upa nodded. The final good-byes were said and Kinto'un was off.

* * *

_**Uranai Baba's Palace**_

"No, your balance is off," Muten Rōshi criticized as Bulma was practicing martial arts forms. "Place your left foot forward some."

"If it wasn't for this shell, my balance would be fine," Bulma snarled back, complying with the instructions given to her.

"And the trick is to know how to adapt, lass," Rōshi retorted. "Adjusting your form to whatever is weighing you down, physically, or mentally, is important, as-"

"Hey guys! Gokū's back again!" Kuririn announced as he pointed to the sky, the familiar contrail of Kinto'un zooming towards them.

"We're back!" Gokū exclaimed as the duo hopped off. "Upa's father is back to life!"

"It worked?!" Bulma asked, suddenly breaking form to rush over and greet her friends.

"Yep!" Caulifla nodded. "And I couldn't be happier to be wrong about genie logic!"

"And as an added bonus," Gokū began as he pulled out a smooth stone sphere and held it out for everyone to see. "I don't have to wait a year to hunt them all down again!"

"Y-You caught it?!" Bulma stammered "I didn't even think you were that fast!"

"Caulifla caught one as well!" Gokū said, his excitement getting the better of him.

"Yeah," Caulifla sighed as she held out her own stone sphere. "Let's hope we don't mix 'em up before the year is out."

The group let out a hearty chuckle at Caulifla's words.

"Well, now to train for the next Tenka'ichi Budōkai!" Gokū announced. "I'd ask if we could train with you, Muten Rōshi, but-"

"That's fine lad," Rōshi interrupted. "There is nothing more for me to teach either you or Caulifla. I want you two to go out there and learn all you can from the wide world, training the entire way. The world is vast and strange, and countless adventures await you! And every one of them is an opportunity to learn, grown stronger. When the time comes, I want you to come back in 3 years and amaze me with what you've learned!"

"Sounds fun!" Gokū nodded, almost dismissing the epicness of Rōshi's speech, causing him to comically fall over. "But, 3 years? I thought the Budōkai was once every 5 years."

"Actually, I heard that because of how popular the last one went, along with the number of participants, they've switched up the schedule."

"3 years, huh?" Caulifla shrugged. "Plenty of time to train and get stronger! And maybe Kuririn will get taller.~"

"I _will_ get taller!" Kuririn shouted, annoyed by Caulifla's choice of words.

"I'll be sure to squash you two next time!" Yamcha boasted. "I'll be having Muten Rōshi train me as well!"

"Good luck with that, buddy," Gokū responded, a challenging smirk adorned on his face. "Hey Bulma, since you're training, are you gonna enter also?"

"Nah," Bulma said. "I'm mostly training for the heck of it. Home can get annoying with my parents around, plus I have some ideas on how to apply it."

"Well alright then," Gokū shrugged. "KINTO-"

"HOLD IT!" Rōshi interrupted, bringing Gokū's call for his fluffy mode of transport to a halt. "Don't use Kinto'un! Travel the world by walking, running, swimming, and climbing! It will be better training that way!"

"That sounds cool and all," Caulifla spoke up. "But we take our Oozaru training to the Gizzard Wastelands. I think that'll make a valid exception, right?"

"Hm, fair point," Rōshi sighed. "Alright, But _only_ for nights of the full moon!"

"Alright, we'll be off then!" Gokū announced as he and Caulifla began to run off to parts unknown. The casual nature of their departure left everyone speechless.

"Those two really are something else," Rōshi muttered.

"And a great master teaches what he preaches, doesn't he?~" Baba whispered in Muten Rōshi's ear, causing the old master to flinch and turn to address everyone present.

"Well, I suppose we can all run back to the house!" The Kame-Sennin called out, earning several dumbfounded exclamations.

"Hold up!" Bulma shouted.

"It's all training lass!"

"No, I meant let's run to Capsule Corp first! I want to get Dr. Checka and Gebo settled in."

"Oh. Well alright! To Capsule Corp!"

"How did we get roped into this?" Gebo muttered as he jogged alongside the others.

"Well, at the very least, we'll be able to start anew, son," Checka sighed as she tried to keep pace. "I need to lay off the pastries..."

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, not much to say about this chapter. The title was too good to pass up, and I wanted to incorporate that joke. And as much fun as it is to torment the oddball trio, I did not want them to overstay their welcome with their damn mix 'n match robot set. So yeah, I trashed that. As for the presence of Shenlong, I wanted to make that feel epic, since it would be the first time I had him summoned in my story, along with having 2 fresh witnesses. But yeah. The 3 year timeskip has... Yet to begin, because I still have a few key chapters to do. I do have a fun idea for a chapter down the line, but I will reserve it for when I wrap up before the timeskip. Do leave a review sharing your thoughts, and for the love of Odin's eye socket, please leave a review that isn't just pestering me about my update frequency! You know who you are... Okay, review grievances aside, I hope this was a fun read. :)_


	25. Chapter 25: Kakarrot

_**Mount Paozu, 4 days later**_

Gokū and Caulifla were jogging through the forest, deftly avoiding any upturned tree roots and keeping a steady pace. They made stops to rest and eat when they needed to, but overall their pace was steady. Eventually they reached the familiar home clearing containing Gokū's hut and Caulifla's capsule house.

"Whoops," Caulifla said sheepishly. "I guess I forgot to pack up."

"Well, at least we're back," Gokū shrugged. "You wanna settle in, or check out the bamboo grove first?"

"Bamboo grove," Caulifla answered. "I wanna-"

A loud rumble erupted from Caulifla's stomach, interrupting her sentence and causing her to blush a tad from the abrupt noise.

"...Have some lunch first, since I'm feeling hungry," Caulifla muttered with a sheepish chuckle.

Gokū's stomach soon erupted into a thunderous rumble as if to agree with Caulifla's decision, causing him to laugh and scratch the back of his head. "Alrighty," Gokū said. "Lunch first! I know this great spot to catch some big fish."

"Actually, I just remembered," Caulifla said, causing Gokū to halt his trek. "We still have that leftover octopus from that pirate cave."

"Oh right!" Gokū exclaimed, now remembering as well. "Let's grill it! Maybe use the leftovers for takoyaki as well."

A good hour had passed as Gokū and Caulifla had just finished devouring some delightfully grilled octopus along with some takoyaki and were happily patting their stomachs, their massive appetites sated, if only for a moment. Gokū had also taken the time to put away the four star Dragon Ball and rest it atop the velvet cushion it had always been on before Bulma had arrived.

"Ready to check it out?" Gokū asked his friend, who quickly got to her feet.

"Yep," Caulifla nodded, genuinely curious as to what is within this mystery grove. "I can only wonder what we'll find there. Lead the way."

Gokū nodded and took the lead, taking the duo once again into the forest. They walked by a myriad of various animals, some of which gave friendly greetings, while others ran for the hills, knowing that their apex predator was crossing through. The trees soon turned to bamboo, indicating that the grove was close. Gokū saw the telltale sign of the grove's entrance, lined with several basic oni effigies and a sign saying 'KEEP OUT.'

"Spooky," Caulifla commented casually.

"I'm guessing Grandpa Gohan set these up to keep me out until I was ready," Gokū thought aloud. "Well, time to see what's inside."

The two marched slowly into the grove, looking around for anything that could be of interest. It did not take long for Gokū to see a large leather backpack tucked away within a cluster of bamboo reeds. The boy opened one of the smaller pockets and found a journal - the same one Son Gohan mentioned back at Uranai Baba's palace. His curiosity mounting still, he opened the larger pocket and found something very unusual.

"What… is this?" Gokū gasped as he pulled out what looked like a piece of armor, too small for him to possibly wear nowadays. The material was extremely unusual and oddly elastic, with large yellow shoulderpads and an overall black color scheme with a white trim. Deeper within the bag were a set of boots and bracers that matched the armor, and a blue suit that was reminiscent of spandex, but was certainly not.

"Is that… armor?" Caulifla muttered, seeing Gokū pull out the effects from the large backpack. "What kind of armor is that?"

"I'm not sure," Gokū answered in a hushed tone. A small ache began to develop in the back of his head. Nothing too major, but it was enough to make the boy wince and clutch where the ache was located. "Agh! My head!"

"Gokū, you alright?" Caulifla asked, surprised at Gokū's sudden headache.

"I'm fine," Gokū waved off. "For now, anyways."

"Let's see what that journal has to say," Caulifla suggested, now drawing her eyes to the booklet in Gokū's hand.

Gokū removed the small string holding the journal closed and opened it up to the first page. Caulifla motioned in closer to read for herself.

* * *

_October 12th, Age 737_

_I've come across a most astounding sight! I was on one of my normal hikes when I heard a loud boom from up in the sky. It wasn't expected to rain, and I had no little aches from the difference in pressure such weather tends to bring. Suddenly, a round sphere fell from the sky and landed in the nearby bamboo forest. I saw fit to investigate. When I got there, the crater created by the sphere was easily 20 meters in diameter, if not bigger. I climbed down to investigate and saw that the sphere was open. That was when I was attacked by a baby boy wearing strange armor, and possessing a monkey's tail. I must thank Muten Rōshi for his training, for if I was the average human, the lad may have killed me._

_The boy looked scared, running on pure instinct, and possibly not even a year old. I felt pity that this child from the sky was so lost and decided to take him in as my own, and decided to name him Gokū. Some days, he was docile, but those days are usually after I have to hold him at bay. The boy had a voracious appetite, the likes of which I had never seen. I can only wonder why he came here, and who he was._

_October 14th, Age 737_

_This boy is nothing short of wild! Every time I tried to bathe him, he tried to claw at my arms. Sometimes I had to stop him from sneaking up on me as he tried to pounce during my sleep. He had a way of running people ragged, that's for sure. I'm running low on options, as Gokū keeps trying to test my patience, and even using that name seems to get him angry._

_What surprised me the most was that during the evening, the boy looked at the full moon and turned into a giant monkey - an Oozaru! The boy's temper was seemingly amplified and I had no way to stop him, but I was able to make it through the night when I learned that squeezing his tail makes him lose all of his strength, almost like the scruff at the back of a cat's neck. He turned back to normal when the moon set, but he was still a violent child._

_October 21st, Age 737_

_Gokū had me at my wit's end. I did all that I could to tame the lad's wild nature, but it seemed uncontrollable. I was on a hike one day when the lad fell out of my backpack basket in an effort to escape. This proved to be an error as he took a massive tumble down a ravine and hit his head on a particularly dense rock. I rushed down and found that he was still alive, but was bleeding profusely from the back of his head. Despite his temper, I could not leave him here to die, so I immediately took him back home to nurse his injury. He had not woken up since._

_October 25th, Age 737_

_Remarkable! The head injury Gokū sustained should have been fatal, but in less than 4 days, he was back on his feet and better than ever! Even stranger still, his once wild and violent nature had been replaced by something more kind and loving. He was no longer off-put by the name Gokū, and viewed me as his grandpa! I still need to take care that he doesn't go out at night, especially on nights of the full moon, but I am glad he has calmed down. Perhaps one day I will explain what I can of his origins, but not while he is still so young. I may even leave this journal and his old armor back in the bamboo forest in case he grows curious. I also need to write to Muten Rōshi about this!_

* * *

Gokū closed the journal with a dumbstruck look on his face. Before he hit his head, he was little more than a scared wild animal that fell from the sky. Reflexively, he rubbed his head where he usually scratches and suddenly, all of the memories he had during the journals recount flooded back to him, and the boy let out an agonized wail, clutching his head as his mind was assaulted with old memories long since locked away.

"Gokū!" Caulifla cried out, dropping to a knee and holding the boy up. "We can come back later if-"

"No!" Gokū shouted as he finally recomposed himself, the aching finally subsiding. "I need… to find out more."

"But can't it wait when your headache passes?" Caulifla pleaded.

"Caulifla, I need to go deeper," Gokū retorted, a serious look on his face. "I don't want to wait for this headache to pass just for it to come back when I want to try again."

Caulifla looked at her friend with surprise. "I get you're worried about me, but I need to do this," Gokū said as he got himself to his feet.

"Alright," Caulifla sighed in relentment. "Your Gandpa's journal mentioned a sphere falling from the sky. Any idea what that could mean?"

"I don't know," Gokū said honestly. "But… I do remember how I was before I hit my head now. I really was an animal back then. I don't know why I was so upset with my name back then though."

"That must be the source of your headaches," Caulifla deduced. "You're trying to remember, and these things are trying to jumpstart your old memories."

"Makes sense," Gokū shrugged. "Let's keep going."

The two trekked deeper into the bamboo grove, looking for any more clues to Gokū's past. At first it seemed like they were going in circles until they saw a new set of oni effigies guarding a clearing they had not seen before. The duo looked at one another and gave a knowing nod before stepping across the threshold. Looking around, they saw a lot of overgrowth - not an uncommon sight in this region, but up ahead they saw a massive depression into the earth. They slowly walked over and when they looked down into the crater, they saw a moss-covered white sphere with a red window.

"What… is that?!" Caulifla gaped at the sight, while Gokū deftly slid down the crater, seemingly on autopilot. "Gokū, wait up!"

Gokū approached the strange sphere which as he got closer, looked more and more like a spaceship. He felt compelled to get even closer to it. Caulifla's voice was now muffled as Gokū's hearing was muted, the only clear noise being a high-pitched ringing. He raised his hand slowly and placed it on the red window of the sphere. Immediately he buckled to his knees and let out an agonized scream as the pain in the back of his head flared up to intolerable levels. Suddenly, fresh memories flooded his consciousness, and he was taken back in time. The world as he knew it faded to black as new images began to flood his vision.

* * *

_**Apsara Plateau, Planet Vegeta, Age 737**_

_A young boy sat in a sealed pod crying as loud as he could as it was being carried to an isolated location. The view from his red-tinted window bobbed as he banged against it in an attempt to escape. Despite this, he could hear the voices of a man and woman._

"_Please, bardock, there has to be another way!" The woman croaked out, addressing the man._

"_I'm sorry, but I don't see any other option, Gine," The man, now known as Bardock, gruffly retorted to the woman._

"_Well, why don't the three of us escape together?" The woman known as Gine suggested._

"_It's too risky for us to go," Bardock again retorted. "Those long range scouters would track us down, and by extension, our son."_

"_I… I have to ask," Gine said, her voice shaky. "Why are you going through the trouble to save your son? This isn't like you. Like any of our race. To care about your son like this, especially since he's so weak, almost like me..."_

_Bardock let out an audible sigh. "I guess you've had an impact on my thinking, Gine," Bardock answered. "Over time, after all those missions, all those planets I was forced to slaughter, I guess I wanted to do something right for once."_

_The boy's view suddenly shifted as the motion in his pod stopped and in the viewport came two figures he had come to know. The boy ceased his crying and looked at their faces with worry. One was a tall man with well-defines muscles who looked exactly like he did, but with harsher eyes and a jagged scar across his left cheek, and the other was a shorter woman, not nearly as strong-looking, but her eyes held kindness that was unrivaled, tears welling within, and her hair was long and disheveled. Both were wearing unusual sets of armor._

_The faces of the boy's father and mother, respectively._

"_We'll be sending him to a planet called Earth," Bardock explained. "The natives there have low combat scores and aren't technologically advanced as a civilization. Additionally, the planet isn't a valuable one, so he'll be safe there, away from _him_."_

_Gine approached the window with a worried look in her eyes, her eyes glazing over with moisture. "If… If your father is wrong about this, we won't hesitate to come back for you!" The mother croaked as tears finally rolled down her face. "We won't let you be harmed by that monster!"_

"_Listen, son," Bardock began, his gruff expression laced with a hint of sadness and worry. "I want you to do whatever it takes to survive and grow stronger. Got it? You are a Saiyan, and have a warrior's legacy in you to help you survive."_

"_We'll come back for you as soon as we can!" Gine said._

_The boy placed his hand against the red window, and Bardock's much larger hand was placed on the opposite side in response._

"_Good luck," Bardock finished as he closed his eyes._

_Suddenly, the pod hummed to life and lifted up into the sky. The boy's hand still placed firmly against the window as he saw his mother and father grow smaller the farther away he went. He was about to cry once more, until a sudden drowsiness overcame him, and he fell into a deep stasis, the last words from his mother echoing into his subconscous._

"_Don't forget us, Kakarrot…!"_

* * *

_**Mount Paozu, Present Day**_

"Gokū?"

Gokū was snapped from his flashback by a familiar voice. His hand was planted firmly against a red tinted window and tears began to roll down his face. Memories that were once locked away by a near fatal head injury had resurfaced and he knew who he was once more.

"Gokū, are you alright?" The boy turned to see Caulifla next to her, her face riddled with worry. "You haven't said anything for several minutes."

"My name…" Gokū muttered as he finally removed his hand from the pod, and earned a confused look from Caulifla. "I remember my name!"

"Gokū, what are you talking about?" Caulifla inquired, almost weirded out from seeing her friend like this.

"No, I mean my name before Grandpa Gohan found me," Gokū clarified. "It was… Kakarrot."

"Kakarrot?" Caulifla repeated.

"I'm… I'm not of this world," Gokū choked out. "..._We're_ not of this world!"

"What're you saying?" Caulifla asked, now almost scared at this sudden information, before an epiphany hit her. The village people that raised her called her a Child from Heaven. Heaven, as in from above. From space! "We're aliens from another planet?!"

"I was sent away by my mother and father!" Gokū exclaimed, the epiphany hitting him with full force. "I remember who they are! It seemed like something bad was gonna happen and they sent me away to be safe! So many things make sense now! The tails! The appetite! The need to fight! Caulifla, We're-"

Gokū turned to address his friend, only to find she had climbed out of the crater and began to run. At where she was once standing was the petrified six star Dragon Ball. Gokū gently picked it up as a new realization hit him.

He was ready for this information, but she was not.

"Oh no," Gokū muttered as he stared at the now stone relic in his hand. "What have I done?"

Gokū's mind now began to work in overdrive. Caulifla was clearly upset at this revelation, and it was far more than she could handle. Gokū now felt sorely responsible and wanted to apologize. He _needed_ to apologize.

Tucking away the smooth stone in his gi pocket, he climbed out of the crater as well, only to hear a loud 'POI' in the distance. Caulifla had capsulized her house. Wherever she was going, she was going far. Gokū did a quick inventory check of his own capsule case, making sure he was ready to travel, and began to sniff. Caulifla's scent was still strong, and therefore he had a solid lock with which to follow. He refused to use Kinto'un, as that would cause the boy to lose the trail, and go against Muten Rōshi's wishes. Steeling himself, he raced off to find Caulifla so that he could try and make things right.

* * *

_**Menra Village Ruins, 2 Weeks Later**_

Gokū had been hot on Caulifla's trail for the past two weeks, but was unable to catch up to her. His travels led him through a myriad of terrains and biomes, all of which he was able to power through. He had almost lost the trail a few times when rainy weather threatened to wash away the scent, but Gokū only picked up the pace when it rained, making sure to stay ahead of the weather and keep up with the scent.

Eventually, on a particularly overcast day, Gokū arrived at what looked like a ghost town, but it was in complete ruins. The village entrance had a weathered arch sign that, despite the destruction seen in the village and the exposure to the elements, was still legible.

"Welcome to Menra Village," Gokū read aloud. Caulifla's scent was strong here, which meant she must have stopped here, then a new realization hit him. "This is her home…"

The spiky-haired boy dropped to his knees and offered a small prayer for the former residents of the village, offering his condolences and hopes that their spirits would forgive his friend. When he finished, he began to tread lightly through the ruined village, the overcast emphasizing the haunting nature of what had happened here. All around he could see buildings that were torn apart, and several depressions in what looked like the main road.

"Oozaru footprints…" Gokū muttered as he observed the damage. The footprints were very worn down, certainly not fresh, much like the rest of the visible damage here. What happened here happened a long time ago. Gokū soon took notice of fresher footprints, but were human-sized and carried Caulifla's scent strongly. He followed the footprints until he heard choked whimpering from around the corner. As the boy turned around, he saw Caulifla at the edge of a large crater, folded up and quietly sobbing to herself.

"Caulifla?" Gokū spoke in a soft tone.

"Go away…" Caulifla whispered, her voice laced with a hint of venom.

"Caulifla, please talk to me," Gokū pleaded, taking a few small steps forward. "I came to apologize."

"For what?" Caulifla retorted, her voice shaky as she kept staring at the crater. "Remembering your own family while I remember nothing?"

"Caulifla…"

"When you found your pod, you remembered your original name, who your parents were, and who knows what else. Me? I got no memories. Just the pod repeating an automated message telling me to exterminate everyone on this planet…"

Caulifla began to break down into tears and hid her face with her arms. "I really am a monster…"

"Caulifla, you're not a monster," Gokū retorted softly.

"Then what the Hell am I?!" Caulifla suddenly shouted, turning to face Gokū, her eyes red from spent tears. "What am I if not some alien were-monkey sent here to bring Genocide?! Answer me that Gokū! Or should I call you 'Kakarrot,' since that's your real name!"

Gokū had no answer, as he internally winced at the sight of Caulifla in so much emotional pain. She turned away and hid her face in her arms again, renewing her crying. Gokū's mind meanwhile was in full overdrive. He followed her to make things right, and he would do what he could.

"You're my friend," Gokū answered finally, causing Caulifla's sobbing to cease. "You've helped me understand so much that I never would've found out on my own. We took down an evil military organization together, and used the Dragon Balls to undo the damage a world-class killer had caused. You even saved my life. No monster I know would do that."

Gokū walked up to Caulifla's side and sat at the rim of the crater, placing a hand on her shoulder. "If anything, you're a better person than I am," Gokū continued. "You didn't need a head injury to set you straight. And the way I see it, if either of us were sent here to be monsters, then I say to Hell with that."

Caulifla removed her face from her arms to see Gokū, who had an earnest smile on his face as he continued. "The people of Menra village raised you to be a good person, just like how Son Gohan tried to raise me right. Why we're here shouldn't matter. What should matter is what we'll do going forward."

Caulifla let out a small sniffle and wiped the tears from her eyes, soon smiling herself. "That's the smartest thing I've ever heard you say," Caulifla said, followed by a small chuckle. "It almost sounds like it came from a fortune cookie."

"I don't really like fortune cookies," Gokū retorted with a warm smile. "They tend to get stale, plus the paper inside isn't all that tasty."

Caulifla couldn't help but giggle at the boy's joke and pulled him in for a hug, which Gokū reciprocated. "I'm sorry I ran away like that," Caulifla croaked as she buried her face into her friend's shoulder. "Thank you for the pep talk Gokū. Uh, I mean, Kakarrot."

"You can still call me Gokū," the boy suggested with a shrug. "If anything, you could think of it as a nickname."

The two separated from their embrace, only for them to both look to the side and notice their tails were tangled up. Immediately they undid the coil and stepped backward.

"Oh I'm so sorry! I didn't realize!" Gokū hastily apologized, his face tinted red.

"No, It's fine, I didn't notice until you did!" Caulifla apologized with the same vigor and same blush.

The two let out an exasperated sigh and tried to avoid each other's eye contact for a little while, until Gokū spoke up. "I don't think we can hide it anymore," the boy sighed as he looked at his friend.

"Yeah," Caulifla nodded. "Well, if you're up for it, could we... resume our training?"

"I'd like that," Gokū agreed with a smile. "Oh, before I forget..."

Gokū reached into his gi pocket and pulled out the petrified Dragon Ball. "You dropped this."

Caulifla couldn't bring herself to say anything, but simply smiled and took the sphere. "Thank you," She said. "Probably not the best time to make the joke, but I promise I won't haggle you about marriage, food or otherwise."

Gokū couldn't help but chuckle at the joke. "Thanks, Caulifla."

The two stood up and left the ruins of Menra village with one final prayer and bow, ready to begin their training for the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budōkai with renewed vigor.

* * *

_**Eastern Mountains**_

A small cloaked figure with a cane was climbing several steps carved into the mountainside. The cold, humid air would thwart anyone wanting to climb, but this figure held firm, seeking a secluded dojo that taught only the best. The figure's destination was just a few dozen meters away, which was the Tsuru-Sen style dojo of Martial Arts. The figure gently slid open the door and stepped forth after wiping their feet on the mat outside, closing the door behind them. At the far end of the chamber sat a very old man - older than some may realize. He wore sunglasses and a green qipao with a red trim, with a yellow long-sleeved shirt underneath, and matching trousers. The most striking feature of the man's gi was the large "鶴" emblazoned in red on the front. The only hair he possessed was at the sides of his head curled up, and along his upper lip in the form of a thin pointed mustache. The most odd accessory to the man's look was an effigy of a crane's head sticking up out of his cap.

"Well well well," The old man greeted. "Congratulations on making it to the top of this mountain little girl, but you wasted your time and energy. Turn back now. I, the Tsuru-Sennin, am not taking new students."

The figure said nothing and tossed a small satchel at the foot of the man, a myriad of gold coins spilling out from within. The Tsuru-Sennin took a coin and gave it a quick bite to test its quality. The metal was to his liking and he looked at the cloaked figure. "You have my attention," The old hermit grinned. "Explain your purpose here."

"I'm looking for revenge," The figure spoke, clearly belonging to that of a girl, but laced with venom.

"I've had fools come to me seeking my teachings for petty revenge before," The Tsuru-Sennin retorted. "You'll have to do better than that."

The Crane hermit could not see, but the figure was smirking. "Revenge against two students of the Kame School of Martial Arts," she said. "The very same that brought an end to Tao Pai Pai."

The figure tossed a set of pictures on top of the pile of gold, showcasing Son Gokū and Cauilfla easily defeating the world-class assassin. The master's eyebrows arched upward with surprise at this information. "These two killed my brother? Now that is interesting. Though from your demeanor, I sense you've had training from the Kame School yourself."

"My father is Gyūmaō," The girl clarified, removing her hood to reveal fair skin, coal-black eyes and long straight hair to match. "And my name is Chi-Chi. I don't care about the Kame School, or any affiliation I had with it. I want my revenge against Son Gokū, and especially Caulifla. Those two also won first and second place of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai, as well as two others from the semifinals. So wouldn't it be all the sweeter to have another student show them up as well?"

The Tsuru-Sennin heard all these words and mulled it over for a moment, but then slid into a devilish smirk. "The funny thing is I know you're playing me, but you're right," The master nodded. "Very well. Just know that my training will be nothing compared to what the Kame School had to offer. Welcome to the Tsuru-Sen Dojo. Tenshinhan! Chaotzu!"

Two figures emerged from down the hall. A tall, muscular man with no hair on his scalp, but a third eye in his forehead. The other was a doll-like boy with pale white skin and red cheeks that seemed to float, complete with a small cap with a cotton ball on his head. Both were wearing the same style qipao as their master

"Show your new fellow student to her chambers," The Tsuru-Sennin ordered, to which they quietly bowed and gestured for Chi-Chi to follow them. The Frypan princess followed the two with a cold expression, eager to become stronger and exact her revenge.

'_I will have my revenge, you thistle head…'_

* * *

Tenshinhan - Tien Shinhan

Chaotzu - Chiaotzu

Tsuru-Sennin - Master Shen

* * *

**A/N:** _Holy crap, 2 chapters in one weekend! Do not expect this to be a normal thing. (I'm looking at you, RulerOfAnimes...) I just felt a super drive to write this one, as it dealt with some super-dee-tuper juicy plot points. Gokū remembers his past before a certain big dude with long crazy hair had to clear things up. As for the name Menra Village, I derived that name from the word Ramen. I just scrabbled the syllables. With this chapter, I wrap up the arc for the timeskip. I may churn out a special sometime soon, but do not expect anything for the main story shortly after, as I want this to float about on its own until I pick it up again. I hope this was a fun read, and I hope this special chapter I have in the works will be a good read when I get it out. (Fair warning, it's gonna be purely for hyuks, and may, or may not, have inspiration from a certain spoof idea by a certain team.) I also apologize in advance if this seemed too rushed. At least I had the majority of this plotted out beforehand._


	26. SPECIAL: C&C: Kai - Abridged

This is a fanfic. SUBSCRIBE TO VIZ YOU HEATHENS!

* * *

_**Mount Paozu**_

Caulifla: (kicks down Gokū's door) "I'm breaking & entering!"

Gokū: (standing outside) "You're breaking & entering!"

(Caulifla proceeds to get kicked out)

Gokū: "Sorry. Wanna go train?"

Caulifla: (shrugs) "Eh, okay."

(Kinto'un nyooms over the horizon)

_~DRAAAGON SOUL!~_

* * *

_**Kame House**_

Gokū: "We're here to train!"

Rōshi: "Bring me a thot!"

Kuririn: "I'm the kiss-ass during this arc!"

Caulifla: "Shut up you kiss-ass!"

Rōshi: "Thot! Now!"

Gokū, Caulifla, & Kuririn: "Okay."

(Kinto'un nyoom)

* * *

Police: "You're under arrest, thot!"

Blonde Lunch: "I'm not a thot!" (sneezes) "What she said!"

(Gokū & crew drop down, caulifla landing face first)

Gokū: "Found a thot!"

Kuririn: "WOOHOO!"

Caulifla: (still lying face down) "F**k my life…"

(Kinto-Nyoom)

* * *

_**Random Island**_

Rōshi: "Find this rock!"

Gokū: (fires Kamehameha) "Shoop da whoop!"

Caulifla: (sparkly look of anime amazement) "Sugoi! Hand lasers!"

Kuririn: "Found the rock! Can we do the montage?"

Rōshi: "Yep!"

Spongebob Narrator: "8 months later…"

Rōshi: "Tournament time!"

_**Papaya Island**_

* * *

Announcer: "Here's the roster!"

(displays roster with Caulifla as the winner)

Cauilfla: "The f**k?!"

Gokū: "I'm going apeshit!"

(Gokū turns Oozaru)

Kuririn: "Oh no! Gokū's going apeshit!"

Caulifla: "Tail hug!"

(Gokū stops going apeshit)

Gokū: "Technically it's monkeyshit."

Caulifla: "Whatever."

Gokū: "Wanna find the things?"

Caulifla: "Eh, okay."

(Kinto-Nyoom)

* * *

(Red Ribbon goons lying unconscious in the background)

Gokū: "Cool, we found a thing."

Caulifla: "I'm cold."

(Gokū now stuck in an ice cube)

* * *

_**Cozy house in Jingle Village**_

Caulifla: "Now I'm nice and toasty. -w-"

Blonde Lunch: (to the tune of the Game Grumps intro) "Hey I'm Lunch!"

Blue Lunch: "I'm not so Luuuunch!"

Both Lunch: "Aaaaand Weeeee're the Game Lunch!"

Gokū: (long pause) "Cool. Let's raid that tower."

(several smash cuts of Muscle Tower getting OWNED)

Eighter: "I'm a friend."

Caulifla: "Oh, cool."

General White: "Well I'm not!"

Gokū: "Not cool!"

(Gokū proceeds to kick General White into orbit)

* * *

(Smash cut to happy Jingle Village)

Gokū: "We got another thing!"

Caulifla: "Let's visit Bulma!"

Gokū: "Why?"

Caulifla: (shrugs) "I 'unno."

(Kinto-Nyoom)

* * *

Caulifla: "WE'RE NOT DATING!"

Bulma: "You sure?"

Gokū: "Prolly not."

(Kinto-Nyoom)

* * *

Bulma: "The thing's underwater!"

Gokū: "Kuririn has a boat!"

Caulifla: "How do you know?"

Gokū: (intense ominous stare) "I read the manga…"

Kuririn: "I'm on a boat Motherfu-"

Blonde Lunch: "That's my line! I'm taking the wheel."

* * *

_**Pirate Cave**_

Gokū: "Whoa, a pirate cave!"

(General Blue hops out of water)

Bulma: "Whoa! A pretty boy!"

General Blue: "Mmmmm!~"

Bulma: "Ah crap, he's gay."

General Blue: "F**K YOUR STEREOTYPES!"

(Cave collapses)

* * *

(Bubble pops next to duo of pelicans)

Pelican 1: (disgusted) "...Nice." (flies away)

* * *

Gokū: "Aw man, I lost two of the things!"

Caulifla: "You dumbass!"

(Kinto-Nyoom)

* * *

Tao Pai Pai: (with the voice of the TF2 Spy) "Gentlemen..."

Upa: "You killed my dad!"

Karin (from way up high on his tower) "Senzu bean!"

(3 seconds pass before two beans fall on Gokū and Caulifla's heads)

(TF2 Ubercharge effect as they dismantle the assassin)

Gokū: "That's for sappin' our sentry!"

Caulifla: "Time to go fight the OG Napolitler!"

* * *

(Smash cut to Red Ribbon HQ)

Red: "I'm the OG Napolitler! I wanna be taller!"

(Staff Officer Black shoots red)

Black: "And I want leadership that makes sense."

(cue laugh track and Seinfeld music)

(Gokū and Caulifla smash through window)

Gokū: "Give us the things!"

Black: "What happened to the guards?!"

(smash cut to all the Red Ribbon guards absolutely demolished)

Caulifla: "Give us the things!"

Black: "No!"

(Cue Transformers sound effect as he boards mech)

Gokū: "Zap!"

(Mech poofs out of air)

Checka: "And we're here too!"

Gebo: "Bird is the word."

Gokū: "We can't find the last thing!"

Rōshi: "Call Miss Cleo!"

* * *

_**Uranai Baba's Palace**_

Baba: "You jackass!"

Gokū: "Where's the thing?"

Baba: "Money, or fight."

Kuririn: "Dibs!"

(Kuririn Owned Counter: DING!)

Lunch: "Dibs!"

(DOUBLE KILL)

Yamcha: "Dibs!"

(Yamcha gets a mummy arm through the chest)

Kuririn: "Senzu bean!"

Yamcha: (whimpers like a little bitch)

Caulifla: "I'm up next!"

(Mummy defeated then Caulifla trolls Devil)

Caulifla: "Alright, bored."

Gokū: "My turn!"

(Demon gets one-shotted)

Gohan in disguise: "Me next!"

Gokū: "Do I know you?"

Gohan: (removes mask) "Yes."

Gokū: "Yay! Closure!"

Gohan: "Check out the bamboo place back home. Your spaceship is waiting."

Caulifla: "Wait wha-?"

Gohan: "Nevermind! Bye!"

(POP)

* * *

(smash cut to Pilaf crew)

Pilaf: "I'm gonna rule the world! AHAHAHAHA-"

(Gokū bitch-slaps Pilaf)

Gokū: (with stern finger pointing) "Stop it. Stop it. Okay? Alright."

Caulifla: "Dragon time!"

* * *

_**Karin Sanctuary**_

Shenlong: (summoned) "Who dis?"

Upa: "Bring my dad back!"

Shenlong: "Done."

Bora: "AGH! THERE'S DIRT IN MY EYES!"

* * *

_**Baba's Palace**_

Rōshi: "Travel the world without Kinto'un!"

Gokū & Caulifla: "Okay!"

* * *

_**Mount Paozu**_

Gokū: "Bamboo time!"

(Gokū touches space pod, inception music plays with stereotypical transcendence meme imagery)

Gokū: "I'm an alien!"

Caulifla: "You're an alien?!"

Gokū: "You're an alien too!"

Caulifla: "HOLY SHIT!" (runs away)

* * *

_**Menra Village Ruins**_

Gokū: "Sorry."

Caulifla: "I'm an alien!"

Gokū: "A cool alien!"

"Caulifla: (shrugs) "Eh, okay."

(the two run off into the sunset)

* * *

_**Tsuru Dojo**_

Chi-Chi: "Train me!"

Tsuru-Sennin: "No."

Chi-Chi: "I hate turtles!"

Tsuru-Sennin: "Your room's down the hall to the left."

* * *

(cue credits)

_~DRAAAGON SOOOOOOOUUUUL!~_

LastationLover5000: (at his computer) "Who would read this?!"

Demod20: "I 'unno. It's kinda cool."

(Disclaimer: LastationLover5000 and Demod20 represented here are not accurate to the type of people they are. Go check out Erased Chronicles, Heart of Adventurers, and Perfect Tournament. Good reads, though the long waits left me with blue balls.)

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, I wanted to make this special purely as a shitpost referencing TeamFourStar's Dragon Ball Z Kai Abridged, so I apologize if this nonsense was not what you expected. I had the idea in relation to LasationLover5000's and Demod20's co-written fic, and decided to use it for my own. And before you ask, yes I know this is the third consecutive chapter update this weekend, but this was meant to be a silly one with little effort and purely for laughs. After this I will take a small, 2 week break from this story before I pick it up again. I apologize for the difference in formatting, being a transcript more than anything, but I hope this was a fun read._


	27. Chapter 27: Reunion at the Budōkai

_**Gizzard Wastelands, 3 days before the Tenka'ichi Bud****ō****_k_ai**_

The full moon hung low in the night sky as the tranquil calm of this barren region of the world was disturbed by a titanic clash of two giant monkeys. Any bystander would mistake this as a scene from a monster movie, but this was not the case. The two Oozaru let loose a volley of strikes, the receiving end blocking, parrying, and dodging as much as they could. A keen eye would tell that these attacks were calculated and thought out, and not rampant and unfocused. With a large leap back, the two beasts brought distance between each other and bowed.

"I think we should call it thare, wouldn't you say, Gokū?" One Oozaru spoke in a deep voice and grin.

"Yep!" The other responded with glee. "And just in time, too. The moon's about to set."

As if on command, the full moon disappeared over the horizon, and the two giant primates began to shrink down to their original states. Gokū and Caulifla soon looked for their own designated mesa and found what they were looking for. They got dressed and met back in the center of the recently crushed rubble.

"Phew!" Gokū sighed as he wiped some sweat from his brow. "You almost had me there a few times."

"Oh please," Caulifla playfully slugged her friend's arm. "You weren't the only one on the ropes."

"I guess Saiyans are quick to adapt," Gokū shrugged as he picked up the shredded pieces of clothing from the earlier transformation.

Saiyans. That was what Gokū remembered he was. A warrior race hailing from another planet. He questioned at one point whether or not he should tell his friends about his heritage, but Caulifla quickly shot the idea down. If she could not handle the realization of where she came from, there was no telling how their friends would react.

"Hey Gokū," Caulifla said, realizing something. "The Budokai is 3 days away, right?"

"Oh right!" Gokū exclaimed upon hearing that realization. "You wanna run to the coast and swim there?"

"Actually, let's try our newest means of getting there," Caulifla suggested with a smirk. "We need practice with it anyways."

"Good call."

The two nodded, and as if by magic, the two Saiyan castaways began to float as if gravity meant nothing to them, and headed towards Papaya Island to where the competition will be held.

* * *

_**Open Ocean, Bulma's Personal Capsule Shuttle**_

Three years had passed since the 21st Tenka'ichi Budokai. During those three years, martial artists from around the world have trained for an opportunity to be crowned the strongest under the heavens. Gathered in the large freight shuttle custom-designed by Bulma herself were the woman in question, Lunch, who was piloting the craft, Yamcha, his eternal partner-in-crime, Pu'ar, Oolong, who was pigging out - pun intended - on several bags of peanuts, Muten Rōshi, Kuririn, Checka, and Gebo. Everyone was wearing relatively formal clothing for the trip, despite it being on Bulma's own plane. Suddenly, a static click came on over the loudspeaker.

"This is your allergetic captain speaking," Lunch announced over the loudspeaker, her voice making it difficult to discern which state she was in. "We will be beginning our final descent to Durian Airport on Papaya Island. Please put your tray tables in their upright position, fasten your seatbelts, and tell Oolong to stop stuffing his face before he chokes on a cluster of salted legumes!"

Immediately the shapeshifting pig coughed and sputtered violently in reaction to being called out, earning a laugh from most of the passengers.

"Very funny…" Oolong grumbled as he took a napkin to wipe his face of crumbs.

"Three years of training for the Tenka'ichi Budokai," Yamcha sighed, eager to test the fruits of his training.

"Don't forget I'll be there also,~" Kuririn cheekily added.

"Yeah, to be used as the mop for the arena," Yamcha playfully jeered in response.

"I'd hate to burst your collective bubbles," Bulma interrupted the two's banter. "But if Gokū and Caulifla are gonna show, the odds of you guys winning are probably nonexistent. Even moreso if Muten Rōshi is entering his alter ego again this year."

"Remind me to smack your ex above the head when we get off this crate," Rōshi grumbled, knowing that Yamcha had spilled the beans on Jackie Chun's true identity.

"To be fair, you told me," Yamcha defended. "At least I didn't go out onto the rooftops with a megaphone."

"Fair point," Rōshi sighed. "But you at least know why I set up that disguise."

"Keep the ego starved, keep training for the next big fighter," Kuririn explained in layman's terms, to which the Kame-Sennin tapped his nose to validate his statement.

"I-I've never seen a tournament like this before," Checka spoke up, her lab coat now adorned with a Capsule Corp logo on the shoulder. "I wonder what it will be like?"

"A bit like the fights back at Uranai Baba's place," Bulma explained. "Although there's a much lower chance of seeing killer halloween monsters in deathtrap arenas. It's more of a test to find out who's the best at martial arts."

The conversation was brought to an abrupt halt as an equally abrupt jolt and hissing of pneumatic landing gear signalled their landing.

"We're here!" Lunch announced over the loudspeaker.

Slowly, the hatch opened up, and everyone disembarked, Muten Rōshi faster than the rest as he desperately needed to use the restroom. Bulma proceeded to capsulize her craft and tuck it away in her case as the group proceeded to enter the city. Everyone piled into taxi cabs to make their way to the temple where the Budokai was to be held. By the time they had arrived, registrations were still open, but only for another half hour, so Muten Rōshi began to file down everyone's names. The group as a whole then all turned their heads when they heard two distinctly familiar voices call out from down the road.

"Helloooo!~"

Strolling down the sidewalk were two short teenagers dressed in simple grey suits, brown furry tails fluttering from underneath their jackets. The hair on their heads was unmistakable.

"Gokū! Caulifla!" Several members from the group called out in unison, seeing their friends for the first time in three years.

"Long time no see, guys!" Yamcha greeted with a wide smile. "Looks like you two grew a bit."

"Yeah, you're right," Caulifla smiled, then turning her attention to Kuririn. "So much for eye-level conversations, eh buddy?~"

"Oh ha ha," Kuririn sarcastically laughed, not happy that his friends grew more than he did. "At least I make being short look good. I could knock down Gulliver over there no problem."

"Hey!" Yamcha whined as Kuririn gestured a thumb in his direction.

"Nice to see you guys all here!" Gokū said. "I was wondering when you'd show up, plus we still have a good half hour before registration!"

"Well aren't you early birds," Lunch commented. Gokū and Caulifla looked at their friend with a look of surprise and confusion. Her hair was neither blonde, or navy blue…

"Whoa!" Gokū shouted. "Lunch, your hair's green!"

"Yep!" Lunch said with a triumphant stance. "About a year ago, I had a crazy sneezing fit, and when it stopped, I guess both Blonde and Blue kinda mushed together to make, well, me. Even better..."

Lunch took out a bird quill and began to tickle her nose into sneezing. With a loud 'ACHOO!,' she cleared her sinuses, but her demeanor had not shifted, and her hair was still green as grass.

"Sneezing no longer causes me to shift from one personality to another!"

"Awesome!" Caulifla squealed with amazement.

"She's not the only one who's improved!" Bulma boasted.

Quickly she pulled out a large thick slab of steel from a capsule in her back pocket with relative ease. Were this the Bulma from 3 years ago, she would be struggling to merely lift it off the ground. She pointed her finger at the large metal plate and her face warped into an expression that showed concentration. From her finger, a thin beam shot forth and impacted the metal. Slowly, it cut cleanly through the plate until one half fell over and hit the pavement with a resounding clatter.

"Check it!" Bulma beamed as she showed her friends the clean cut she made. "I no longer need big tools to fabricate stuff for my projects!"

"Doubly awesome!" Gokū exclaimed, amazed to see how far his friends had come.

"By the way," Muten Rōshi said as he cleared his throat. "How'd you two get here?"

"Not with Kinto'un if that's what you're wondering," Gokū answered. "We got here about an hour before you guys did and took care of registration."

"So, how did you guys get here? Swim?" Kuririn asked.

"Nope," Caulifla shook her head. "We flew."

"I thought you said you didn't use Kinto'un," Yamcha retorted.

"We didn't," Caulifla nodded. "Try again."

"...Did you buy an airplane ticket?" Rōshi guessed.

"Nope."

"Wrangle a large bird or dinosaur?"

"Rocket Jump?

"Launch yourself with a Kamehameha?"

"Nope, nope, and somewhere in the same ballpark," Caulifla answered Bulma, Lunch, and Kuririn's guesses respectively.

"Observe!"

As Gokū beckoned everyone to watch, he began to float up in the air, a gentle breeze wafting from underneath his feet. Everyone gasped in amazement as Caulifla began to follow suit. The only one who did not share this amazement was the Kame-Sennin.

"Where did you two learn that technique?!" Rōshi shouted, a twinge of anger in his words.

"Learn?" the two Saiyan children repeated.

"We didn't learn it from anyone, Muten Rōshi," Gokū explained. "A few months ago we were helping to deliver some much-needed supplies across Yunzabit."

"Y-Yunzabit?!" Rōshi stammered, hardly believing these two would brave such harsh conditions.

"Yeah," Gokū nodded, his feet back on the ground. "We got stuck in this deep canyon, and it was raining for almost two days, so we couldn't climb out. In the end, we had to get creative."

"Gokū here took inspiration from my fight with Kuririn during the last tournament," Caulifla added as she landed back to earth. "Basically take the thrust application Kuririn used with his Kamehameha, but channel it into a muted kiai. Basically, we force our ki downwards, and use it as thrust to fly."

"Huh," The Kame-Sennin hummed as he scratched his beard. "My apologies for jumping to conclusions then."

"What conclusions?" Kuririn asked his teacher.

"Well I-"

"Well, well, well!" A sudden shrill voice crowed out, interrupting the turtle hermit's train of thought. "If it isn't the Kame-Sennin!"

Muten Rōshi turned to see a face he had not hoped to see until the afterlife, and even then he would have been better off. Standing before him was his rival, the Tsuru-Sennin, along with three pupils of his, judging by the matching qipao.

"Well now!" Rōshi said. "Tsuru-Sennin! I'm surprised you don't have an IV bag connected to your arm, given how shriveled you are."

"Still the blunt and vulgar oaf I see," Tsuru-Sennin scoffed. "I heard a little rumor that your students made quite the showing in the last Tenka'ichi Budokai. Clearly the standards of this once prodigious competition have become lax, so I figured I would show the world _true_ martial arts, and enter my own students. And as it turns out, one of my students even has a deep-seated vendetta with two of yours."

The second-smallest of the Tsuru-Sennin's students stepped forward, and immediately, Gokū and Caulifla looked at the new arrival with confusion. The student was a brunette girl with long, straight hair, and her gaze was cold and unmoving as a glacier.

"Do I know you from somewhere?" Caulifla asked innocently.

"I'm not surprised you forgot about me you thistle head," The girl spat.

"C-Chi-Chi?!" Gokū stammered, not believing what he was seeing.

"Wait! Gyūmaō's daughter?!" Muten Rōshi exclaimed "When?! How?!"

"Shortly after Son Gokū broke his promise to marry me and ran off with _her_," Chi-Chi explained, punctuating her last word with extra venom and a hiss. "I'm here for payback. From both of you."

Gokū and Caulifla remained silent, guilty beads of sweat rolling down their foreheads.

"Fitting that the daughter of one of your past students would seek out the superior school!" The Tsuru-Sennin cackled. "Feel free to run home and save yourself the embarrassment!"

"Still the warped sense of humor!" Muten Rōshi harrumphed. "Gokū, Caulifla, could you demonstrate what you showed us earlier?"

The two shrugged and nodded. With relative ease, they began to float and sat cross-legged in the air. The Tsuru-Sennin saw this and was absolutely dumbstruck at this display, while his pupils were a mixture of nonplussed and surprised.

"How did those two brats learn my Sky Dance technique?!" The Crane Hermit shrieked in frustration and anger. "Only a select few are taught that sacred technique!"

"HAHAHA! They figured it out on their own!" Rōshi laughed triumphantly. "Maybe if you didn't spend so much time decorating your scalp with some dumb bird effigy, you'd realize how flawed your teachings are!"

"Coming from the Turtle-shelled hunchback of the ocean!" Tsuru-Sennin retorted back.

"At least my shell looks better than some bird cap that looks as if it came from a video game!"

"Well at least I have hair!"

"Your hair makes you look like a woman!"

"And you look like a discount Santa Claus from a budget Christmas porno!"

The two masters of rival schools began to growl at each other with seething anger. One could almost see the static sparking between their foreheads as they angrily glared at one another.

"Feh," Tsuru-Sennin scoffed, taking a deep breath to calm himself down. "Let's go. No use wasting our time with these sad pieces of driftwood outside of the tournament."

The whole of the Crane School marched off, leaving the students of the Turtle School to give looks of disdain at the rival group.

"Who was that old hag?" Yamcha asked his teacher.

"An absolute jackass," Muten Rōshi grumbled. "As well as an old rival. He's the master of the Crane School, Tsuru-Sennin."

"Definitely doesn't seem like a people person," Bulma muttered.

"Especially since he has a reputation for training killers and assassins, like his brother, Tao Pai Pai."

"Tao Pai Pai is this guy's brother?!" Caulifla exclaimed. "I thought this guy seemed familiar, but now it makes sense!"

"Y-You've run into Tao Pai Pai before?!" Rōshi stammered in disbelief.

"He was the assassin that killed Bora and tried to kill us over the Dragon Balls," Gokū explained. "After training with Master Karin, we beat him."

"Oh dear…" The Kame-Sennin sighed with resignation. "I suspect Chi-Chi isn't the only one with the vendetta."

"Does Jackie Chun plan on entering this-"

"Cat's out of the bag, lad," Muten Rōshi interrupted Gokū's question, earning an understanding nod from both the boy and his friend. "Only among our circle though. But to answer your question, yes."

"Contestants, your attention please!" A voice called out from the loudspeaker system. "We will proceed with the preliminary rounds in 15 minutes! Please finalize your preparations and make your way to the main gymnasium!"

"Welp, time to get this show on the road," Caulifla said as she began to crack her knuckles.

With that, the Turtle School as a whole got ready for the preliminary rounds, eager to test their strength once more.

* * *

"You're certain it's those two that killed my brother?" Tsuru-Sennin sternly questioned his female student.

"Positive," Chi-Chi nodded. "Otherwise I wouldn't have secured those pictures."

"They don't seem like much," Tenshinhan commented, sparing one last glance at the Turtle School group. "Though looks can be deceiving. This should be interesting."

"With your permission, Sensei," Chi-Chi bowed politely towards her master. "I wish to fight Caulifla first. I know exactly how to get inside her head and break her constitution."

"I see no harm in it," The Tsuru-Sennin said with a nod. "Provided your performance is adequate."

"I've been training for 3 years for this chance," Chi-Chi smirked devilishly. "We get to settle two vendettas with one stone as well."

* * *

_**Tenka'ichi Budokai, Gymnasium**_

Gokū, Caulifla, Kuririn, and Yamcha all stood in a large crowd of other competitors. Many of the fighters who did not proceed to the main event immediately recognized the four and began to quietly murmur to themselves, whispering comments about respect, how they could easily crush them this time, and, to a lesser extent, regretting trying again.

Kuririn and Yamcha both wore the Turtle School standard orange gis, complete with their respective '亀' kanji on the front and back. Gokū and Caulifla, however, opted to switch up their gis. The former still wore orange with the same kanji on the front, but encircled on the back was the kanji '人参,' not to mention his gi top was no longer tucked in, and was tied up by his obi. Caulifla opted for a similar approach, except her gi was purple with pink, as she usually wore, and the encircled kanji on her back was '花野菜' instead.

"Switching things up, are ya?" Yamcha commented on his friends' appearances.

"I didn't see why not," Caulifla shrugged. "At least we're still representing the Turtle School."

"I get the choice in kanji for you, Caulifla, but what's with Gokū's?" Kuririn inquired, reading their respective marks on their backs.

"I had a bit of a… revelation, shortly after we split up," Gokū answered, keeping his answer cryptic. Fortunately, Kuririn shrugged and accepted the vague answer.

"Well, it's you again!" A saged voice called to Gokū from a few meters back. The Turtle School representatives all turned to see 'Jackie Chun' offering a single-handed salutation. "This should be a fun rematch."

"Likewise!" Gokū agreed with excitement. "I'm guessing you've trained for it, but I won't pull that stunt I did last time."

"Much appreciated, lad," The disguised hermit politely bowed, which Gokū returned in kind.

"Ahem," A clearing of an old man's throat echoed through the chamber, amplified by the loudspeakers installed into the facility. The voice belonged to an old and healthily rotund monk. "Thank you all for coming from all corners of the world for this, the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budokai. As you are all aware, in recent years, the number of participants has increased so much that from this point onward, we will hold this prodigious tournament once every 3 years. The number of contestants present here today do not disappoint, at an astounding 182! Like always, however, only 8 will be selected for the true competition. Give everything you have! Please take a number for your assigned blocks."

As various competitors drew their lots, eventually the Turtle School picked theirs and compared their drawn numbers with those on the large board.

"First half of Block 3," Kuririn read aloud.

"And I have the second half of Block 3," Gokū added, causing Kuririn to frown. "What's the matter?"

"Oh nothing," Kuririn sarcastically answered. "Just lamenting about how my chances of reaching the semifinals got shot down."

"Relax, buddy," Gokū consoled with a pat on his shorter friend's back. "I'm sure you have some sneaky moves to trip me up!"

'_Oh yeah, I've got a few,'_ Kuririn mischievously chuckled mentally.

"First half of Block 4," Caulifla read aloud.

"Phew!" Yamcha sighed, wiping a bead of sweat from his brow. "I lucked out! First half of Block 1!"

"The preliminary rounds to determine the 8 finalists shall now commence!" An official called out over the intercom. "Please confirm your assignment by comparing the number you drew with the chart, and gather at the appropriate ring!"

The official began to recite the rules of the Budokai for any newcomers as the Turtle School began to split apart to their respective matches. Yamcha went up first against a tall man with a neatly trimmed mohawk, clad in a black tank top and jeans.

"This'll be too easy," The man grinned, all while Yamcha simply cracked his neck.

"Begin!"

The ex-bandit took a fortified stance as the other man began to charge forward with a battle cry. Yamcha's expression was blank, and faster than the average human eye could register, he delivered a swift backhand punch to the other man's throat, knocking him out cold.

"Nice one, Yamcha!" Gokū cheered as his friend got down from the ring.

"That was almost too easy," Yamcha shrugged. "Looks like Kuririn got a big guy."

Over in the Block 3 mat, Kuririn politely bowed before his absolute behemoth of an opponent, who gave a stupid grin, assuming his very diminutive opponent was going to be an easy win.

"Your move," Kuririn politely offered.

"Heh. Smart mouth, you little baby octopus head!" The giant jeered, chuckling at his own joke.

"'Octopus head…?'" Kuririn growled, giving a deadpan frown.

"How's about I make you into sushi?!" The man roared as he shot a massive fist towards the much shorter monk.

Kuririn saw this coming from a mile away, and deftly gripped the man's massive finger, before hefting him over his shoulder and launching him against the wall of the gym. The large man crashed and slumped down, all while Kuririn kept his deadpan expression, but changed the frown to a smile while holding up a victory gesture.

"Nice!" Caulifla cheered. "Bigger they are, the harder they fall, am I right?"

"And you make fun of me being short,~" Kuririn retorted with a playful grin.

"Oh please," A sarcastic voice drawled out. The Turtle School contestants turned to see it belonged to the tallest, and most trinocular of the Crane School students. "A squirrel with your basic training could pull the same stunt. Speaking of which, I saw one looking around for a chestnut. Maybe it mistook your head for one?~"

Kuririn harrumphed at the triclops's words, while Gokū simply frowned.

"Does that spicy wit come with the third eye?~" Caulifla jeered with a smirk. "'Cause I've heard eyes can be fooled. Must be more so with you."

"Be glad you're not going up against me, little girl," Tenshinhan retorted. "You'd be even luckier if you didn't have to go up against Chi-Chi either. But, luck does tend to run out."

"Alright, how about you piss off, triclops?" Yamcha butted in, getting up in Tenshinhan's face.

"Oh I will," Tenshinhan nodded. "After I mop the tiles of the arena with your face. _If_ you get to that point. At any rate, good luck, I guess."

The Crane School triclops gave a disingenuous wave as he went to his Block 1 match, his opponent being a large sumo wrestler.

"I'll bet he'll be first out," Kuririn grumbled.

"I don't think so," Gokū retorted, getting an ominous vibe from the three-eyed warrior.

"Lemme know how he wins," Caulifla requested. "My match is up next."

The remaining Turtle School students turned their attention to Tenshinhan as he removed his qipao and cap, now left with long-sleeved green gi pants, and matching bracers.

"Begin!"

Immediately the large sumo wrestler charged at Tenshinhan, who responded with several lightning fast movements that hit home and stopped the obese man in his tracks. The three-eyed warrior then turned around with a smirk, and not 2 seconds later, the sumo wrestler collapsed onto the ground, out cold.

"4 arm chops," Yamcha muttered, able to keep up with the display.

"And 2 kicks," Kuririn added.

"And that's only the tip of the iceberg, I bet," Gokū said, genuinely impressed with his rival colleague's display. "Definitely keeping his cards close before the big event."

"Hey guys," Caulifla called as she returned to the group. "Got done knocking the lights out of this supposed 'genius of Martial Arts.' Panpoot, I think his name was."

"Well, that was quick," Gokū shrugged. "That three-eyed guy took down a sumo wrestler without breaking a sweat, so he looks like a good challenge."

"Contestants 147 and 148, please step forward!"

"And that's my cue!" Gokū said as he bounced up onto the Block 3 mat.

His opponent stepped up - A dark-skinned man with a natural black afro and a well-groomed goatee, the most distinctive attribute about his face being the red dot on his forehead. He was adorned in a yellow toga and matching trousers, and gave a polite bow as Gokū returned one in kind, and wrapped his tail around his waist.

"Such a small opponent," The man said, staring down at his comparatively diminutive opponent. "Worry not, I will not kill you."

"Hold up," A cheetah man said as he pointed to the taller man atop the fighting map. "Isn't that King Chappa?"

"K-King Chappa?" Yamcha repeated. "Hoo boy, Gokū's gonna be in for the long haul, here."

"Who's King Chappa?" Kuririn asked, unaware of the man in question.

"Supposedly, an incredible master of martial arts," Yamcha explained. "Almost god-like. He won the 20th Tenka'ichi Budokai without a single scratch."

"Question is, did he have to face competition like us?" Caulifla asked, genuinely curious as to how well this man would perform, earning a few confused looks shot her way.

"Begin!"

"Your move, boy," King Chappa offered as he settled into a looming stance.

"Alright," Gokū agreed with a smirk.

Faster than most could register, Gokū bolted forward to deliver an open palm strike directly to King Chappa's face, causing him to stagger back a bit and rub his nose to numb the pain.

"Alright then," Chappa sighed. "My error for assuming you were some lost boy off the street. However, do not begrudge me for your loss."

"And here comes the Hasshuken," Jackie Chun commented as he watched King Chappa seething.

Immediately the taller man launched a series of jabs and punches so fast that it looked as if his arms had split from 2 into 8, hence the name of the technique. Gokū, however, was able to follow these movements and parried each attack. King Chappa took a split second to breathe, and this was exactly the opening Gokū had hoped for. With a quick pivot of his center of gravity, the Saiyan delivered a sweeping leg kick to upset his taller opponent's balance, causing him to fall backwards.

"Problem with 8 arms, illusion or not, is that you forgot to defend your feet!" Gokū said with a sporting grin.

"You insolent little…!" King Chappa snarled before launching a swift punch at the boy, only to be met with thin air. "What?! Where did he go?!"

"Up here!" Gokū called out from above, springing off the ceiling and launching towards his opponent.

"Oh dear!" Jackie Chun "He's made an error!"

"Hahaha! Taking to the air was a terrible move, boy!" King Chappa boasted. "You cannot move around in free-fall! This fight is mine!"

Just as King Chappa was about to deliver a punch to intercept Gokū's descent, his fall had slowed down all of a sudden, surprising the toga-clad man.

"You fell for it!" Gokū cheered as he delivered an uppercut kick to the man's chin, sending him crashing outside of the ring. Gokū deftly landed in the center of the ring, and gave a polite bow.

"Goodness…" Jackie Chun muttered in disbelief. "I didn't realize he had the sky dance technique so figured out…"

"And to be able to beat King Chappa so easily…" Yamcha gasped in amazement and mild fear.

"Heh. Careful not to exert yourself too much!" Kuririn nervously chuckled as his friend returned from the mat.

"I know!" Gokū nodded, folding his arms behind his head. "That wasn't anywhere close to my best.

"Hey, uh, Chi-Chi should be fighting next, right?" Yamcha said as he saw the block 4 bracket breeze through.

"Might as well see how far she's come since we last met," Caulifla shrugged.

With that, the Turtle School walked over to the Block 4 mat and saw the match was getting underway. Chi-Chi was settled in a comfortable fighter's stance against a large wolf man, though if you called him that, he would get angry and correct you by saying he is a man wolf.

"Begin!"

The larger and hairier opponent charged at Chi-Chi with savage abandon, while the Frypan princess held a cold glare. With a swift knifehand jab to the side of his neck, the man wolf gasped for air and fell to the ground with a loud thud. Officials came over with a stretcher to haul the unconscious man away, while Chi-Chi cracked her neck as she left the mat.

"Whoa…" Kuririn gasped. "She's more brutal than the triclops."

"But no less efficient," Yamcha added, seeing the vengeful daughter of Gyūmaō leave.

* * *

Over time, the Turtle School and Crane School cleaned up the competition with flying colors and little to no effort. By the time the preliminaries had finished, only 8 fighters remained. 4 representing the Turtle School, 3 representing the Crane School, and the mysterious - to the common person - Jackie Chun. Little could anyone guess that this was going to be a tournament for the books, and one that will shake the foundations of the earth.

* * *

人参 - Carrot

花野菜 - Cauliflower

Panpoot - Pamput

* * *

**A/N:** _Aaaaand I'm back! The 22nd tournament is on its way, and Chi-Chi has made a return! Regarding Lunch being green, it seemed like a logical step, considering I made her personalities aware of each other's actions. As for Goku and Caulifla learning to fly before the tournament, I figured "Hey, why not?" and found a logical reason to go with it. Good enough to give Roshi a scare, that's for sure. :P Please do leave a review letting me know what you think, and I hope this was a fun read. :)_


	28. Chapter 28: Break A Leg

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Audience Wings**_

"Outta the way! Make room ya wall flowers!"

Lunch exclaimed loudly as she fired a pistol into the air, spooking several members of the crowd. Fortunately for everyone involved, she was firing blanks. Once she and the rest of the group found ample spots to watch, Lunch put away her pistol with a smirk.

"Told ya I'd get us a good view," Lunch said as she faced the arena.

"W-Was that even legal?" Checka asked nervously, carrying an absurdly large stick of cotton candy.

"No one's bothering to call the guards," Gebo observed. "Either security here is lax, or gun laws on Papaya Island are lax."

"Either way, we got the best seats in the house," Bulma dismissed her colleague's concerns about Lunch's behavior. "Gotta admit, watching Jackie Chun fight is gonna be different now that we know who he is."

"Fights in general are gonna be different because we can follow 'em better than everyone else," Lunch added. "I kinda want to see the triclops in action."

"You have a thing for 3 eyes?" Bulma questioned, weirded out by Lunch's statement.

"I-It's to see his techniques, damnit!" Lunch stammered a retort, her face tinted red. "He'll probably fight better than your ex-boyfriend for all we know!"

"You leave Yamcha out of this!" Bulma snapped. "At least he's not with a rival school!"

Checka simply sighed as the two younger women began to bicker, Pu'ar taking Bulma's side while Oolong waddled back with several snacks in hand. The shapeshifting pig offered a chocolate bar, but Checka refused, her sweet tooth sated with the sugar sweet she possessed already. She also did not want to risk receiving candy that was half-melted because of bodily heat.

* * *

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai, Waiting Wing**_

The finalists for the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budōkai stood in the waiting wing, awaiting the call for the lottery to determine who fights who. Gokū was keeping himself entertained with some basic gymnastics while Caulifla sat cross-legged, the only support from the ground being her tail coiled in a spring-like fashion. Yamcha and Kuririn meanwhile were having an idle conversation about their upcoming fights.

"Something tells me I'm gonna get lumped together with one of you guys," Kuririn nervously said with an equally nervous chuckle. "I mean, given who's made it to the finals and all."

"Hey, with any luck, Gokū and Caulifla will fight in their first round," Yamcha shrugged before holding his chin. "Though that might overshadow the remaining fights and make everything afterwards seem boring."

"Oh look. The Turtle Team made it," Tenshinhan sarcastically jeered as he approached the group, Chaotzu and Chi-Chi following at his sides. "The quality of competition must've hit a new low."

"Only because you and the ceramic doll are here!" Yamcha retorted with a scoff. "What, does your master only recruit weirdos?"

Before Yamcha could laugh at his boast, Chi-Chi phased into existence before him, staring him coldly in the eyes. "You're lucky you're not on my list," the Frypan Princess spat. "But don't try to push your luck…"

"Ease up, Chi-Chi," Tenshinhan implored, gently grabbing her by the shoulder and pulling her back. "You'll have your fights. I can deal with this joker no problem."

Chi-Chi backed off, averting eye contact, leaving the bandit slightly trembling. "She's scarier than her dad nowadays…" The ex-bandit muttered.

Over by Jackie Chun, Chaotzu approached the disguised martial artist with a blank expression on his face.

"Hello, little one," Jackie Chun politely greeted with a small bow. "I trust you will provide good competition this year."

"Big Wig!" Chaotzu exclaimed with a pointed finger aimed at Jackie Chun.

"Hey! This isn't a wig!," the disguised Kame-Sennin retorted, annoyed with how this boy easily figured his disguise. "Odd you comment on my hair when you have none."

"Nope," Chaotzu said as he removed his cap, revealing one strand of hair sticking right out of his porcelain head.

"...Okay that's just bizarre," Jackie Chun sighed.

"Alright!" The announcer called out, his sunglasses ever present on his face. "All finalists, please step forward!"

"Yo!" Gokū greeted with a light hand wave.

"Oh! You're participating again?" The announcer said with mild trepidation. "Just, don't destroy the buildings this time, okay?"

"There's no full moon today, plus I've been training for that, so we're good!" Gokū replied with an earnest grin and thumbs up.

"Phew," The announcer gave a sigh of relief. "Now where was I? Oh right. You 8 warriors will be choosing your matches by lottery. When I call your name, step forward and draw a slip. Let's see… Jackie Chun!"

"At your service," The disguised Kame-Sennin bowed as he drew a slip from the lottery box. "Number 3."

Over by the Crane School, Tenshinhan kept an eye out for who was going to draw next. "Think you can take him, buddy?" The triclops asked Chaotzu. "He's a semifinalist from the last tournament."

"Sure," Chaotzu answered flatly.

"Chao… Fun?" The announcer read as he adjusted his sunglasses.

"No, it's Chaotzu!" The doll-like boy corrected. He trotted over to the lottery box, which the monk lowered to his height. He reached in and drew his slip. "Number 4."

"Alright, Match number 2 against Jackie Chun," The announcer reiterated as he wrote the name on the board. "Next, Yamcha."

"Right here," The ex-bandit stepped forward.

"Make sure he's in the first round with me, okay?" Tenshinhan whispered to Chaotzu.

"Okay," The boy answered, before raising a hand and moving a finger.

"Number 1, eh?" Yamcha said as he read the slip he drew.

"Next, Chi-Chi."

Chi-Chi simply grunted in acknowledgement and drew her slip, which was Number 7.

"Alright, Match 4 for Chi-Chi. Next, um… Tenshinhan, is it?"

"Correct," The man in question politely answered as he stepped forward. He reached into the lottery box and a slip of paper floated into his hand. He drew it out and unfolded it with a smirk. He turned to Yamcha and showed the number 2 printed on his slip.

"I don't see why you're smiling," Yamcha said to Tenshinhan with a smirk of his own. "Me, I feel sorry you have to leave so soon."

"Does that remark come with a receipt?" Tenshinhan jeered. "Because I might return it back to you after our match."

"Okay. Son Gokū?"

"Yo!" The boy in question raised his hand as he stepped up to draw a slip from the lottery box. "Number 5!"

"Kuririn?"

"Don't be with Gokū, Don't be with Gokū, Don't be with Gokū…" Kuririn muttered to himself as he stepped up to the lottery box. Unbeknownst to him, Chaotzu gave him the number he wanted the least. "Aw man! Number 6!"

"Ease up, Kuririn," Gokū consoled the shorter monk with a pat on his back. "Don't count your chickens before they hatch."

"Gee, thanks," Kuririn sarcastically said to his friend.

"And the last one is Caulifla, so she will be fighting Chi-Chi," The announcer confirmed as he drew the last slip from the box. Chi-Chi meanwhile smirked devilishly, eager to put Caulifla in her place.

"Alright, I'll go over the rules for those new here. Each bout will be a single round with no time limit. If you fall out of bounds, fall unconscious for more than 10 seconds, or plead mercy, you lose. As always, no weapons and no fatalities. When you hear your name called over the loudspeakers, step forth onto the arena."

The announcer then turned to face Gokū for a moment. "By the way, do you need to eat before the match this time?"

"Nope, I'm good!" Gokū answered with a thumbs up. "I ate a filling meal before the lottery anyways."

"At least you came prepared, eh?" The announcer shrugged with a smile before stepping out onto the arena.

"That's one of the kids that killed Tao Pai Pai?" Tenshinhan whispered to Chi-Chi, uncertain if the princess was telling the truth.

"You're proving the thistle head's point by taking their skills at face value," Chi-Chi whispered back. "Make no mistake, those two are responsible, and I plan to take them down..."

Tenshinhan simply smirked at his fellow student's fire. "Well, if they're as strong as you say, at least leave some for me."

Unbeknownst to the Crane School, Jackie Chun overheard the conversation, and his mind was at work.

* * *

"Well at least I've seen Yamcha in action!"

"And how many fights has that Tusken Raider won?! Zero! Zip! Not a single one!"

"That's bull! He's won fights, otherwise he wouldn't have made it to the finals last time!"

"Oh and I'm _sure_ the competition he had to blitz through was _super_ tough!

"He came close to beating Gokū at one point!"

"And was it because the kid was hungry?! Even if he had Gokū on the ropes he still lost because he pissed himself when he saw you!"

"How do you know that?!"

The verbal fight between Bulma and Lunch continued for some time, and showed no signs of letting up. Oolong was leaning over the wall with a bag of ice on his cheek, a consequence for trying to break up the fight, and tried turning into a pair of earmuffs in an effort to drown out the noise. Of course the idea did not work because the shapeshifter's hearing was still exposed and merely changed shape.

"Um, excuse me," Checka meekly spoke up. "It looks like the matches are about to begin."

The lavender-haired woman and green-haired woman paid no heed to Checka's words and continued to bicker. Eventually, Gebo stood up and let out a loud sigh before gingerly pushing the two apart from each other.

"Enough!" The red-haired man sternly ordered. "The matches are about to begin, and I want to hear what's going on!"

"R-Right," Bulma meekly nodded as she turned to face the arena, but not without the occasional dagger-filled glance at Lunch, which she returned in kind.

"Thank you, Son,~" Checka thanked gleefully as Gebo leaned on the wall.

"Ladies, Gentlemen, and those otherwise specified, thank you for your patience!" The announcer called out on his microphone, earning several cheers from the audience. We are now ready to present the 22nd… TENKA'ICHI Budōkai!"

The announcer paused to allow the crowd to cheer in excitement. "182 martial artists have enters the preliminary rounds, and only 8 have emerged as our finalists for your viewing pleasure! These 8 will battle before us all to determine WHO will win the 500,000 Zeni?! WHO will claim the title of Strongest under the heavens! Without further ado, let us begin the first match! Contestant Yamcha versus Contestant Tenshinhan!"

The two fighters stepped out onto the arena, exchanging challenging smirks at one another, eager to put the other in their place.

"Break a leg, Triclops," Yamcha jeered. "I won't have to listen to your insults after this."

"But of course," Tenshinhan shrugged. "I'm not one to add insult to injury."

"Astoundingly, 4 students of the Turtle School are our finalists, Contestant Yamcha among them!" The announcer exclaimed while sharing the trivia. "Even moreso, 3 other finalists are from the Crane School, the arch-rival of the Turtle School, Contestant Tenshinhan being one of them!"

Unbeknownst to anyone present, the Tsuru-Sennin and disguised Kame-Sennin sneered and grumbled at how the announcer mentioned them both in the same explanation.

"Kick his ass, Yamcha!" Bulma cheered from the stands, Pu'ar also cheering with the same energy.

"He's even better-looking without that qipao on!" Lunch exclaimed, almost going dreamy-eyed.

"Gentlemen, let the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budōkai commence!" The announcer cried out as he left the arena, taiko drums slowly building from the temple grounds.

"If you want to run, now's your last chance," Yamcha jeered as he settled into his signature fighting stance.

"Good luck making that happen," Tenshinhan jeered back as he settled into a comfortable fighting stance of his own.

"Yamcha's got this one in the bag!" Kuririn said as he watched from the waiting wing.

"I dunno," Gokū shrugged. "This Tenshinhan guy seems pretty good also, but let's wait and see."

The taiko drums ramped up to a trill until…

_GONG!_

"HYAAAH!" Yamcha launched himself with a flying kick aimed directly at his trinocular opponent, only for his kick to be blocked by a forearm. The ex-bandit saw that Tenshinhan was preparing an attack with his other arm and swiftly parried it away before it could hit, also keeping in mind the original blocking arm that began to attack as well. The Crane Schooler followed up his jabs with a swift kick to the torso, which Yamcha backflipped to recover from. Not planning to let up, Tenshinhan launched himself towards the Turtle Schooler in an attempt to strike, but Yamcha launched himself upward with his last backflip to evade the oncoming attack. Tenshinhan followed suit and soon the two students of rival schools were unleashing a series of attacks that were parried and blocked by the receiving party, until Yamcha noticed an opening and delivered a swift axe handle, sending Tenshinhan back to earth. Both fighters landed neatly and paused to catch their breath.

The spectators could only watch with slack-jawed expressions, barring Bulma and Lunch, who, while still captivated, could still follow the fight. Kuririn was in a similar stupor after what he had witnessed, while Gokū and Caulifla observed with wonder, glad to see how much Yamcha had improved, but also taking note of his opponent.

'_Interesting,'_ Tenshinhan thought, mentally smirking to himself. '_This guy isn't just full of hot air. It's been a while since I've had to face this much resistance…'_

'_Alright, this guy has bite to back up his bark,'_ Yamcha thought as he gingerly rubbed his jaw where he was struck last. '_Speaking of bark…'_

"Alright!" Yamcha shouted, taking a familiar stance. "Shin… Rogafufuken!"

With a battle cry, Yamcha charged forward, hands clawed and primed to attack, while Tenshinhan launched himself forward to meet the visage of the wolf head on. The three-eyed warrior struggled against the ferocious volley of clawed hands, but eventually picked up on the pattern, and countered accordingly. Yamcha failed to notice the shift in his opponent's attack patterns, and left an opening that was invited by a swift punch to his abdomen, launching him backwards and knocking the wind out of him.

"Holy crap!" Kuririn exclaimed. "He got right through that!"

"He picked up on Yamcha's attack pattern quickly," Caulifla observed, now worried for her friend. "That Tien guy is sharp…"

Yamcha struggled to get to his feet, clutching his stomach, but soon recomposed himself and smirked, prompting Tenshinhan to arch an eyebrow. "Alright then…" Yamcha sighed as he took a new stance. "Guess I'll have to break out the big guns."

"Oooooh boy!" Gokū exclaimed, recognizing the movements the ex-bandit was performing. "This'll be a surprise!"

Yamcha brought his wrists together and curled his index and middle fingers while keeping his ring and pinky fingers clenched. He then pulled his arms back and kept a bead on his opponent.

"What's he gonna do?" Kuririn asked.

"Kaaa… Meee…"

"Well now!" Caulifla shouted. "Someone's going out with a _burst!"_

"BĀSUTO!"

A large red sphere of ki launched itself at Tenshinhan, who swiftly brought his hands together with all of his fingers except for his index fingers laced together. He began to gather focus as the imposing red sphere approached. Yamcha smirked as the sphere finally crossed the threshold he wanted, and immediately pulled his arms apart, causing the sphere to detonate.

"HAAAAA!"

Tenshinhan let out a mighty shout that immediately blocked the force of the explosion, causing it to immediately rebound back towards Yamcha, prompting him to jump up to avoid the shockwave, which generated a smokescreen over the entire arena.

"He deflected the blast?!" Caulifla exclaimed as she watched her own technique rebound back towards Yamcha.

"How can you deflect an explosion?!" Yamcha grunted as he looked around for his opponent. "Who is this guy?!"

"YAMCHA, LOOK OUT!" Gokū and Caulifla cried out in unison, but the warning came too late, as three eyes met two. Tenshinhan delivered a swift axe kick to the bandit's solar plexus, knocking the wind out of him and sending him careening towards the arena well beyond terminal velocity, and landing on his back with a loud impact and bounce. Yamcha was out cold.

Pu'ar screamed at the top of his lungs while Bulma couldn't bear to watch and covered her eyes. Lunch winced at the brutal display, until the three-eyed warrior began to dive down with one knee primed for one final strike.

"STOP IT!" Gokū cried out, realizing what the crane schooler was about to do.

CRACK!

Tenshinhan brought his knee directly onto Yamcha's left leg, creating a sickening crack and causing his leg to bend at an unnatural angle.

"H-His leg…" Kuririn stammered as he swallowed the lump in his throat.

"That bastard…" Caulifla growled as he watched the three-eyed warrior stand up with a pleased look at what he had done.

"Uh, H-His leg doesn't look r-right…" The announcer stammered as he stepped into the arena to check up on the fallen Turtle Schooler. "Sir…? Sir?!"

"Yamcha!" Gokū and Caulifla cried out in unison. Gokū placed two fingers gently against his neck while Caulifla placed her ear against the fallen bandit's torso, both checking for a pulse. When they heard one, they breathed a small sigh of relief.

"I think you still have a job to do, sir," Tenshinhan said to the announcer. "He's still alive, right?"

"Y-Yes of course," The announcer nodded. "C-Contestant Yamcha is clearly in no position to carry on, though he is still alive. Therefore, the victory goes to Contestant Tenshinhan!"

The announcer turned his attention to one of the monks on standby. "This man has a broken leg! Get him to a hospital immediately!"

"I'll take him to the hospital!" Pu'ar cried out as he floated over. The shapeshifting cat then turned into a magic carpet, and beckoned the two Saiyans to place Yamcha aboard, to which they complied. The carpet flew off, prompting Bulma to leave and follow. Even Lunch felt compelled to do the same, despite the grievances she aired about the ex-bandit.

Gokū and Caulifla glared at the three-eyed warrior with fury they had not felt since Tao Pai Pai had killed Bora 3 years ago.

"You…" Gokū growled, trying to maintain a tranquil demeanor. "You knew Yamcha was knocked out, and you still went and broke his leg."

"Well, in my defense, he did tell me to break a leg," Tenshinhan shrugged. "I just forgot to do so after I knocked him out. I had no intention of killing him. _Not when there are others asking for it..."_

"This is about Tao Pai Pai, isn't it?" Caulifla frowned, realizing what Tenshinhan was getting at. "That jerk was hired by an evil shrimp to kill _us_ first."

"Maybe, but that doesn't change my master's vendetta, and it especially doesn't change Chi-Chi's," Tenshinhan smirked.

"I'll get back at you for what you did, for Yamcha's sake…" Gokū said slowly.

"Well you'll have to get past the semifinals first!" Tenshinhan laughed. "Let's clear out. I'd hate to impose on the next round's contestants."

Gokū and Caulifla simply remained silent as they exited the ring, their mood soured by Tenshinhan. The man in question was greeted by Chaotzu and Chi-Chi, the former giving a happy clap.

"You won!" Chaotzu cheered as Tenshinhan entered the green room.

"Of course I did, buddy," Tenshinhan responded with a warm smile. "I have to admit, these Turtle Schoolers are better than I first thought. Good to be on our toes from here on out."

"Understatement right there, Tien," Chi-Chi said dryly. "That oaf you broke was just the opening act."

"If he was the opening act, then I'm curious to see how the others perform," Tenshinhan said with a challenging smirk.

"That's not the mentality of a to-be assassin," Chi-Chi coldly jeered. "Besides, there'll probably be nothing left for you if I have anything to say about it."

Chi-Chi strode off to take a seat on one of the benches nearby, Tenshinhan and Chaotzu opting to do the same. Chaotzu kept the same placid expression he had always worn, while the Three-eyed warrior had a slightly perturbed look on his face.

"Is she right Tien?" Chaotzu asked his taller friend. "About the whole mentality thing?"

"I don't think so," Tenshinhan shrugged. "Whatever the case, you're up next, buddy. Be careful out there."

"Okay!" Chaotzu nodded as he hopped off the bench awaiting the announcer's call.

* * *

**A/N:** _Hookay! Yamcha can't catch a break! Not much to say about this one, other than Yamcha being Yamcha, and ominous rumblings regarding the Frypan Princess. I would've made this chapter sooner, but I recently dug up a long-dormant hobby of mine, so that took up some of my time. Digital 3D modeling can be fun, but tedious at the same time. This chapter was a tad shorter than usual, but I wanted to start this tournament arc off on the right foot. (Apologies to all Yamcha fans out there for that joke) Hopefully this was a fun read. :)_

_EDIT: Thanks to joepaul6 for pointing out an error I made. Silly me. :P_


	29. Chapter 29: Old vs New

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai**_

Over by the spectator wings, Oolong, Checka and Gebo were all that remained, as Bulma and Lunch left to meet Yamcha at the hospital after the severe leg injury he had sustained from Tenshinhan. Oolong was more focused on the concessions snacks he had acquired more than anything. Gebo was interested in the fights as was Checka, but her massive club of cotton candy was now half of its original size. The three were snapped from their musings when they suddenly heard the crowd around them begin to complain, and a voice frantically apologized as it went along.

"Excuse me. Sorry. Coming through. Here to see my daughter fight is all."

Oolong almost choked on some flavored sugar pellets when he heard the voice. "G-Gyūmaō?!" The shapeshifting pig sputtered. Lumbering towards the group was the ruler of Frypan Mountain, or what was left of it after Muten Rōshi accidentally destroyed it and the castle on top with his Kamehameha.

"Yup!" Gyūmaō confirmed with a single-handed salutation. "I never got your name, little guy."

"I-It's Oolong," The pig stuttered out. Despite his jolly and casual demeanor, the fabled Ox King was still not someone he wanted to rub the wrong way.

"Well nice to meet ya!" Gyūmaō greeted as he grabbed one of Oolong's arms and shook him up and down, much to the pig's dismay. "I woulda been here sooner, but you know how boats can be, what with scheduling and all that."

"Y-Yeah," Oolong sheepishly nodded, now wanting to get away from this scene.

"Gyūmaō?" Checka spoke up. "As in the ruler of Mount Frypan?"

"That's me," Gyūmaō confirmed. "Though I guess it's just Frypan now. Heh. Who are you?"

"My name's Dr. Checka," The auburn-haired woman introduced herself with a curt bow. "This here is my son, Gebo."

"Yo," Gebo greeted with a simple hand gesture, eyes transfixed on the arena.

"If you don't mind me asking," Checka continued, remembering Gebo isn't one for conversation. "Why did you come to see the Tenka'ichi Budōkai?"

"I heard my daughter, Chi-Chi, was entering, and I wanna cheer her on," Gyūmaō answered flatly, earning a mildly nervous look from Checka, and a waterfall of sweat rolling off of Oolong. "She was really upset when Gokū explained his little mistake, but hopefully she's gotten over it."

"Uh, y-y-yeah," Oolong hesitantly nodded along. "S-Sure, l-let's g-g-g-g-roll with t-that."

"You okay, little guy?" Gyūmaō asked with genuine concern.

"Hm?! Me?! Naw! I'm totally fine! Peachy! Fan-freaking-tastic!" Oolong lied with a nervous chuckle, the fountain of sweat permeating his skin betraying his words. Fortunately for the shapeshifter, Gyūmaō simply shrugged and turned his attention to the ring.

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your patience!" The announcer said through his microphone. "Our 15 minute recess is now concluded, and we will now proceed with Round 2 of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai! Contestants Chaotzu and Jackie Chun, please step forward!"

As prompted, Jackie Chun stepped into the ring, followed closely by Chaotzu who was floating under his own power, his expression as blank as ever. The elder martial artist offered a small single-handed bow while the pale-skinned Crane Schooler simply bowed his head.

"Contestant Jackie Chun was a former champion of this tournament, but upon his return last time, he was defeated by Son Gokū!" The announcer said, remembering the exposition well. "It looks like he is eager to reclaim his title once more! His opponent, Chaotzu, is another student of the Tsuru-Sennin. Small he may be, but if he has the teachings of the Crane School, this should prove to be an exciting match! The battle shall commence!"

The crowd cheered as the taiko drums ramped up into a trill. Jackie Chun settled into a comfortable stance, bracing himself for whatever this small boy may throw at him.

_GONG!_

"And begin!"

Jackie Chun expected Chaotzu to make the first move, but the boy stood there with the same placid expression, not even bothering to take a stance.

"Uh, your move, kiddo," The disguised Turtle Hermit implored.

Wordlessly, Chaotzu slid forward with unusual speed, not changing his expression or his overall posture, and delivered a swift kick to the right, upsetting the balance of the older fighter and forcing him to jump into the air. Chaotzu simply hopped upward, his gaze not even moving, and delivered a swift punch downward, but Jackie Chun pivoted himself to avoid this attack and landed back onto the arena. Chaotzu was still airborne and Jackie Chun sprung upward to deliver a swift left hook, only for the boy to duck underneath the attack, causing the old master to overshoot. The doll-like boy landed back onto the arena, followed closely by the senior martial artist, who sprang forward, but suddenly vanished.

"He vanished! Where did he go?" Chaotzu exclaimed, showing surprise, and any emotion in general since the match had started.

"Chaotzu!" Tenshinhan cried out from the waiting wings. "On your left!"

"My left? umm…" Chaotzu muttered as he tried to discern the difference between left and right. "If I hold my chopsticks in my right hand, then I hold my rice with my left, this way?"

Chaotzu turned his head to the left, only to see too late a strong left hook impacting directly at his chest by Jackie Chun. The boy was quick to regain composure but was put on the defensive by the disguised hermit's onslaught.

* * *

"Go get him JC!" Gokū cheered out from the waiting wings, earning bemused looks from Caulifla and Kuririn. "What?"

"JC?" Kuririn repeated. "That's what you called him?"

"Short for Jackie Chun!" Gokū retorted. "I can't go calling him by the other title, now can I?"

"How about Mr. Chun?" Caulifla suggested. "JC kinda sounds weird."

"Fine," Gokū shrugged, turning his attention back to the match. "Knock him out of the ring, Mr. Chun!"

"Sometimes I wonder why we're dating," Caulifla jokingly sighed, smiling in spite of the situation.

"Hold up!" Kuririn exclaimed, turning his attention to Caulifla. "Did you-"

"Yeah, she said it," Gokū confirmed, earning a nod and sigh from Caulifla.

"Try not to make a big deal about it, would ya?" Caulifla requested.

"No problem," Kuririn nodded with a smile. "It was only a matter of time before you guys went official." Chi-Chi, meanwhile, heard the conversation, and frowned angrily.

* * *

Jackie Chun kept up the pressure of his onslaught until Chaotzu was forced to the very edge of the ring. Before the elder could deliver a final blow to knock the boy out, Chaotzu took to the air and began to hover in place.

"Would you look at that, ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer cried out. "Contestant Chaotzu is floating in mid-air!"

'_That technique could prove troublesome…'_ the disguised warrior thought. '_Jumping at him would leave me open to attacks should he dodge. Luckily I have a few aces up my sleeve.'_

"Ready or not, here I come!" Chaotzu exclaimed with a simple smile. He held up one index finger that began to glow as a small orange sphere of ki materialized at the tip. He then swiftly pointed said finger in the direction of Jackie Chun.

"DODONPA!"

The sphere of ki shot forth into an orange beam, which Jackie Chun deftly avoided, leaving the beam's explosion in his wake.

"Gah!" Jackie Chun growled as Chaotzu began to unleash a volley of beams at the ground. "One of the Crane School specialties…"

"What the?!" Gokū exclaimed, immediately recognizing the deadly technique. "So this guy knows Tao's move also?!"

"I could've gone my whole life without seeing that move again," Caulifla grumbled.

While the two Saiyan exiles were watching the match, Tenshinhan overheard their conversation, and his face was riddled with surprise. '_So they __**did**_ _encounter Tao Pai Pai!'_ The triclops exclaimed mentally before calming himself down. '_Well, it shouldn't matter. They'll be dealt with after this tournament. As for Chaotzu, his opponent may have speed, but he can only outrun his onslaught for so long…'_

"Bankoku…"

Jackie Chun began muttering an incantation as he dodged the Dodonpa onslaught, pressing his hands together.

"Bikku…"

Electricity began to arc around his arms as he splayed out his hands, leaving his fingertips connected. Gokū, Caulifla and Kuririn lit up with excitement, knowing what the old master was about to do, but hoped he would dial it back this time around.

"RISHŌ!"

Jackie Chun thrust his hands forward and a swift bolt of lightning arced outward. Chaotzu tried to evade the bolt, but due to a lack of grounding, the arc followed him and zapped the boy. Jackie Chun immediately cut off the attack as soon as it hit, causing Chaotzu to fall in the direction of the outer bounds, but the boy quickly righted himself and hobbled back to the arena, breathing deeply after such a jolt. His cap was gone and his single hair was standing on end, along with several minor burns in his qipao.

"Astonishing!" The announcer cheered. "Jackie Chun's Bankoku Bikku Rishō - I remembered the name this time - was remarkably close to knocking Chaotzu out of bounds, but the little guy was able to float back in time!"

Over by the spectator wings, the Tsuru-Sennin was fuming at Chaotzu's blunder, but soon realized he had seen that technique before. It was one developed by a fellow colleague. No, by a rival!

'_Chaotzu!'_ The Tsuru-Sennin called out over a telepathic link '_Enough wasting time! Your opponent is the Kame-Sennin! Kill him! Slowly, and painfully!'_

'_Yes sir!'_ Chaotzu acknowledged back and immediately held up his hands with a shout. Suddenly, Jackie Chun was doubling over with unforeseen pain. Before he could react, Chaotzu delivered a swift kick to his chin, sending the man flying.

"What's going on?" Gokū asked, seeing Jackie Chun suddenly stop fighting and leave himself wide open.

"It's that kid!" Kuririn exclaimed. "I think he's got psychic powers or something!"

"Rrrgh, Should've expected this from a kiddo like you," Jackie Chun growled as he tried to hold himself upright. He flinched when he came to a realization, and smirked underneath his beard.

"Here I come again! Time to-"

"Hey!" Jackie Chun interrupted Chaotzu's exclamation. "What's 5 + 4?!"

"Huh?!" Chaotzu stammered as he dropped his hands and began to count with his fingers. "Uh, 4, 5, 6, ummm…"

Suddenly, Jackie Chun's pain vanished and he stood upright. He also knew the perfect way to finish this fight. '_A shame he's lacking education,'_ The old hermit thought. '_Still, fight mind powers with mind powers with mind powers, am I right?'_

Before Chaotzu could solve the math problem presented to him, Jackie Chun slowly gestured his hands in an almost hypnotic fashion before flinching his hands and giving a piercing glare at the boy, which locked him into a trance. It was then that Jackie Chun began to… sing?

"Rooooock-a-Bye-baaaaaaby, in the treeeeeee top…~" The old martial artist began to sing in an off-key yet hypnotic manner. "When the wind blooooows, the craaaadle will rooooooock…~"

Unfortunately for Chaotzu, the effects were working, and the porcelain-skinned boy began to droop down until he ultimately fell asleep, nose bubble and all - though one could argue where the bubble was coming from given the lack of nose. Chaotzu fell over and was snoring loudly.

"Minminken," Jackie Chun declared the technique as he gently picked up Chaotzu by the scruff of his qipao and gently rested him outside of the arena. "Might wanna get the lad a blanket and pillow while we're at it."

"Um… C-Contestant Chaotzu is out of bounds! Jackie Chun is the winner!" The announcer stammered before recomposing himself. The ending of that match was rather unceremonious.

"My apologies for the lackluster finish," Jackie Chun bowed. "I suspected he was going to use lethal force, but he is just a boy."

"O-Of course," The announcer nodded. "We will proceed with the next fight in 5 minutes!"

As the announcer declared the recess, Jackie Chun sternly approached the Tsuru-Sennin with an unhappy glare. "If you want to kill someone, do it yourself," The disguised hermit spat. "Don't have some innocent pawn do your dirty work."

"Like your pawns killed my younger brother?" Tsuru-Sennin spat back.

"I had nothing to do with their actions. Had your brother not agreed to a contract by a heinous military organization, he would still be here today…"

"Do not question my brother's motives! His blood is on their hands and I will have revenge!"

Rōshi saw that this was going nowhere and simply sighed and walked away.

* * *

"Well, I honestly didn't expect that to work, eh Gokū?" Caulifla said. She got no response. "Gokū?"

She turned to see Kuririn poking a fast-asleep Gokū and couldn't help but stifle a snicker at the sight. "Hopefully Jackie Chun will wake him up before our match," Kuririn sighed before getting a mischievous idea. "Do you have a marker on hand?"

"Of course I don't!" Caulifla exclaimed with a hearty laugh. "What, were you gonna draw on his face?"

"I saw it in an anime and thought it was funny!" Kuririn answered with a grin before he sighed. "Oh alright. I won't draw on his face."

"I know how to wake him up anyways," Caulifla shrugged as she walked over to the sleepy Saiyan. "Yo, Gokū! I just put together an awesome triple BLT!"

"Guh!" Gokū suddenly bolted upright and frantically searched around for this awesome triple BLT. "Where is it?! Did you hide it somewhere?!"

Kuririn was now doubled over with laughter at what he had just witnessed. "Of course the dinner bell would wake you up!"

"Huh?" Gokū paused and looked at Kuririn, almost disappointed. "You mean there's no triple BLT?"

"You got caught up in Jackie Chun's sleepy time hypnosis move," Caulifla shrugged. "Plus you have a match up next."

"Oh yeah!" Gokū exclaimed, the realization hitting him, scratching the back of his head with a meek chuckle. "Man, I feel silly now."

"I'll get something ready for you after this fight," Caulifla suggested, earning a very happy nod from Gokū.

* * *

"**WAKE UP!"**

Chaotzu's ears were assaulted by a shrill command from the Tsuru-Sennin. "You allowed the Kame-Sennin to best you so easily! I thought I trained you better than this you miserable whelp!"

Chaotzu was now cowering at the sight of his master. "I-I'm sorry, master! I didn't know he knew hypnosis or that lightning attack!"

"NO EXCUSES, CHAOTZU!" Tsuru-Sennin screamed, pulling the boy up by his collar. "You will aid me in exacting my revenge regardless if you've been thrown out of this tournament, or so help me you will know the true wrath of the Crane School! Do you understand?!"

"Y-Yes sir," Chaotzu meekly nodded before the Tsuru-Sennin roughly shoved the boy away.

Over on the opposite end of the spectator wings, Gyūmaō watched the whole ordeal go down and frowned at the sight. "Some things just don't change, I guess," The large man sighed.

"What do you mean by that?" Checka asked.

"Tsuru-Sennin's teachings are far different than that of Muten Rōshi's," Gyūmaō explained. "The tenets of the Turtle School allow the incorporation of martial arts into everyday life, and while I don't know the Crane School's tenets, they seem to be more focused on combat."

"Almost like military training?" Gebo inquired. "I've experienced cruel military training before, and that old man is like the drill instructors I've had to put up with."

"What military training were you with?" Gyūmaō inquired.

"What was once the Red Ribbon Army," Gebo sighed. "Thank God that that regime was buried. We have Son Gokū and Caulifla to thank for that."

"And who's Caulifla?" Gyūmaō asked again, not recognizing the name.

"A friend of Gokū's," Checka answered. "She's very powerful, and she means well."

Gyūmaō said nothing and began to mull this information over. Maybe this Caulifla is why Gokū went back on his promise along with not knowing what he was promising? The Ox-king wasn't wholly serious on the agreement of Chi-Chi marrying him, since the two kids were only 12 at the time, so ideas could change. Gyūmaō simply shrugged and awaited the next match.

"Um, the Crane School doesn't seem to be completely bad," Checka spoke up, now seeing Tenshinhan walk over to comfort his friend. Blink and you would miss it, but the three-eyed warrior darted a swift glare at his master, one the Tsuru-Sennin was oblivious to. "At least, the students anyways."

* * *

**A/N:** _Hookay! Short chapter, but sweet (hopefully) and to the point. Gyumao be watching the show, so that's gonna spell drama in later fights. I also brought in the lullaby hypnosis against Chaotzu since I had Jackie Chun not use it last time. It also made sense that Bird Brain over there recognized Roshi's move and decided to retaliate like the spiteful ancient man-child he is. I also wanted to have Goku caught in the crossfire for that one for lolz. Hopefully this was a fun read, and do leave a review sharing your thoughts. :)_


	30. Chapter 30: Primal Emotions 2

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai**_

Tenshinhan was over by the audience wings after Chaotzu's defeat at the hands of Jackie Chun and the following tantrum his master had thrown. When the Tsuru-Sennin finally noticed his three-eyed pupil, he gave a displeased sneer.

"Tenshinhan," The crane hermit said with disturbing calmness. "You will kill your opponent the very next time you fight, is that understood?"

"Kill him?" Tenshinhan repeated. "What's Jackie Chun done?"

"It's the Kame-Sennin in disguise…" Tsuru-Sennin growled with a whisper. "I want him dead…"

"But he hasn't had anything to do with Tao Pai Pai's death," Tenshinhan retorted.

"Are you questioning my orders?" Tsuru-Sennin sharply snapped back. "Because if you hope to be an assassin like Tao Pai Pai, you mustn't question who you're supposed to kill, and carry out your task with no remorse. Do I make myself clear?"

Tenshinhan looked at his master, visibly unsettled but gave a small bow. "Yes, sir," Tenshinhan said flatly, withholding a sigh until he was out of earshot from his master.

* * *

"Alright, ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer cried out. "We will now proceed to match number 3, between Contestant Son Gokū, and Contestant Kuririn!"

The crowd cheered as the Turtle Schoolers in question stepped forth, exchanging a small fist bump before taking to their ends of the ring.

"We all remember these two from the 21st Tenka'ichi Budōkai, folks! Contestant Kuririn made it to the semifinals last time with many tricks up his sleeve, while Contestant Son Gokū made it all the way to the finals, defeating the likes of Jackie Chun! This will surely prove to be an exciting match-up!"

"Try not to hold back on me, buddy," Kuririn requested with a formal bow. "I want to fight you at your best."

"So long as you can push me to it, I'll happily oblige," Gokū responded with a bow of his own before settling into his own stance, as well as wrapping his tail around his waist, a confident smirk plastered on his face. "Now we wait for the gong."

"And it'll mean lights out for you," Kuririn retorted, settling into a stance of his own, smirking back.

Slowly, the taiko drums began to ramp up into a trill.

_GONG!_

"You may begin!"

Kuririn opened up first with a swift kick which Gokū deftly parried with his forearm, and followed up with blocking a punch that was aimed at his gut. Switching to the offensive, Gokū delivered a jabbing kick which Kuririn was able to dodge with an arching sidestep, followed up with another kick. Gokū ducked underneath but saw Kuririn was pivoting to bring his other leg to kick and just blocked in time. Kuririn landed a short ways away from his opponent, who took the initiative to charge forward and deliver a swift forearm chop to the monk's face.

Kuririn performed several backflips to regain some distance and nurse the minor bruise on the side of his face. Looking around, Gokū had vanished, only to notice just in time a sudden change in air pressure behind him, sidestepping a flying kick that was aimed at his back. Gokū immediately followed up with several more kicks that Kuririn quickly parried, following up with several jabs of his own before springing backwards to gain some distance.

"You're as fast as ever!" Kuririn applauded with a heavy sigh. "Managed to get behind me after that chop!"

"Don't sell yourself short, buddy! Eh, no pun intended," Gokū applauded back, but immediately caught his words, eliciting a small chuckle from the monk despite the unintended pun. "You dodged that kick faster than I expected."

"Alright then!" Kuririn sighed as he began to adjust his stance slowly, prompting Gokū to be wary of what move the monk was going to pull, only for Kuririn to launch forward, elbow first and crash right into Gokū's face, sending him flying. Kuririn did not want to let up and followed up with a heavy kick that sent the Saiyan teenager flying. Pleased that he was pushing back his friend, Kuririn launched forward to deliver a punch, but missed when Gokū leapt into the air. Not wanting to be outpaced, he jumped up as well, preparing to take this fight to the sky. The monk soon noticed that there was not a cloud in the sky and the sun was shining. He smirked as he had formulated a plan, earning an inquisitive look from the higher altitude Gokū. Kuririn pivoted his head and suddenly the glare of the sun bounced off of his shaved head and into Gokū's eyes.

"Agh crap!" Gokū cried out as he immediately shut his eyes. This was what Kuririn was banking on, as his altitude surpassed Gokū's, who saw the monk too late as he delivered a swift axe kick, sending the monkey boy to the ground.

"Ha! Call me a bowling ball after that one!" Kuririn boasted as he watched Gokū plummet to the earth. "Try landing after-"

Gokū swiftly pivoted himself and landed with a resounding thud on his feed, leaving the bald monk perplexed. Gravity began to take its hold on Kuririn and he began to enter free-fall.

"Whoa!" The announcer cried out. "Contestant Kuririn seems to have made a slight error in his maneuver! He tried to slam Contestant Son Gokū into the ground, but seeing as he took the fall so easily, Kuririn is the easy target now!"

"Sorry, Kuririn!" Gokū apologized as he crouched, ready to jump upward. "Looks like I win!"

"We'll see about that!" Kuririn retorted. "I ain't going down that easy!"

Gokū sprung forward to deliver an uppercut kick at the free-falling bald teenager, but suddenly his descent stopped abruptly, causing Gokū to overshoot his kick and halt his momentum mid air as well. Kuririn then landed gently back onto the arena as Gokū gently floated back down as well, smiling at what his bald friend had done.

"Nice one!" Gokū cheered. "I didin't expect you to pull off flight like that as well!"

"Hey, you figured it out from watching me, so I get to figure stuff out too!" Kuririn boasted. "Of course I can't say I have the same finesse as you do. I just needed to get out of your attack path."

"Progress is progress though," Gokū responded with a wide smile. "This is getting exciting! Let's keep going!"

"You're not scared?" Kuririn retorted, smirking in spite of his predicament. "Because I'll be honest, I'm terrified."

"Ah, relax, buddy! I'm not out for blood!"

"I thought I told you to not hold back!"

"And I said I wouldn't if you can push me there!"

"Eh, fair enough."

The two teenagers took a moment of pause, deciding on how best to approach this fight. Gokū's gaze harshened as he began to charge forward, chanting a familiar incantation as he rushed forward.

"Ka, Me, Ha, Me…" Gokū chanted, but before adding the 5th and final syllable, jumped up and cupped his hands together, aimed in the complete opposite direction of his target. "HA!"

A blue beam of ki shot from Gokū's hands, rocketing him towards Kuririn, who ate a fresh knuckle sandwich that sent him flying. Once Gokū landed, he jumped above Kuririn's path of flight and brought a knee right onto the monk's solar plexus, pinning him to the ground and leaving Kuririn motionless.

* * *

"Impressive," Tenshinhan muttered, having watched Gokū's display with clarity. "That kid is no joke."

"He is an impressive one, isn't he?" Jackie Chun commented as he walked up to Tenshinhan's side, causing the triclops to glare at the older master.

"Don't expect me to be so merciful when we fight, _Muten Rōshi,"_ Tenshinhan spoke to the disguised Kame-Sennin, who mildly flinched but simply smiled underneath his beard.

"I may need a new disguise," Jackie Chun sighed. "I do have my reasons for it though."

* * *

"Contestant Kuririn is down!" The announcer called out. "I'll begin the 10 count! One! Two! Three-"

Before the announcer could say 'Four,' Kuririn hopped back onto his feet and nursed where he was punched and kneed.

"Jeez, that smarts!" Kuririn whined. "Couldn't've launched yourself with your flight technique?"

"Aw come on!" Gokū playfully whined. "Launching myself via Kamehameha has more oomph. Still, I'm surprised you're still standing after that."

"Well, you had your fun, pal!" Kuririn boasted. "Now it's my turn!"

Immediately, Kuririn charged forward, but despite his impressive speed, Gokū's was more so as well as his reaction time, and easily sidestepped the charge and delivered a swift chop to the back of the monk's cranium, causing him to stumble forward and clutch his head in irritation and pain. Before Gokū could consider following up, Kuririn skittered to the opposite side of the arena to conjure a new game plan. The fatigue of battle was starting to get to him, as he was now short of breath. Gokū, on the other hand, hasn't broken a sweat.

'_Okay, Brute strength ain't gonna cut it,'_ Kuririn thought. '_No way I can take him fair and square. Guess I'll have to break out my trump card…'_

"Alright, Gokū!" Kuririn shouted. "It's lights out for you! Kaaa… Meee..."

Kuririn began to mutter the Kamehameha incantation as well as perform the motions.

"That's not gonna work!" Gokū retorted, holding up a hand in the direction of where the beam was going to fire. "You'll just be burning away your ki!"

"Haaa… Meee…" Kuririn continued the incantation as the bright blue sphere formed within his palms.

"HA!"

Gokū sighed and gave a disappointed look as he braced his hand for the oncoming blast. To his expectations, he shrugged off the blast like it was nothing. When the light died down, he was completely unfazed.

"Told ya!" Gokū cheered, but his sudden cocky nature turned to one of confusion. "Where'd he-"

"Right here!"

Kuririn appeared right behind Gokū and pulled his tail from the wrap it maintained around his waist. "And just like that, I got your weak spot at my mercy!"

The monk gave the tail a quick squeeze, causing Gokū to jolt and then woozily collapse to the ground.

"Contestant Son Gokū has collapsed to the ground!" The announcer called out. "I'll begin the ten count! One! Two! Three!"

* * *

"Well now!" Jackie Chun whistled. "Looks like Kuririn has this match won."

"Hmph," Tenshinhan sighed with a smirk. "Even a skilled kid like him has an Achilles Heel. Or, tail."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Caulifla added, earning several confused looks her way. "Watch and see.

* * *

"Seven! Eight! Nine!"

"I win!" Kuririn cheered.

"Nope!"

Gokū suddenly hopped upward and behind Kuririn. With a quick pivot of his tail, he swung the monk up into the air and slammed him onto the ground, backside first.

"Gotcha!" Gokū laughed as Kuririn got up to his feet, knowing he would feel that in the morning.

"How?!" Kuririn gasped. "I thought if you had your tail squeezed you lose your strength!"

"3 years ago that'd be the case!" Gokū clarified proudly, squeezing the end of his tail to showcase his newfound resilience. "But I've been training for that! Doesn't hurt that my moon training doubles as tail training as well."

"Y-You're kidding!" Kuririn stammered in disbelief, his one ace in the hole, thwarted.

"It wasn't easy, toughening up my tail, I'll tell you that much," Gokū said, allowing his furred tail to wrap back around his waist.

* * *

"What'd I tell ya?" Caulifla said with prideful glee. "The same trick won't work on me either, so you might wanna throw that sleeved ace away, Mountain Princess."

"I don't need to exploit that stupid gimmick to finish you!" Chi-Chi snapped back. "You'll get yours!"

"Calm down, Chi-Chi," Tenshinhan pleaded, placing a hand on Chi-Chi's shoulder, which she promptly shrugged off. "You'll get your fight very soon."

"And I intend to make it count…"

* * *

'_Crap, crap crap!'_ Kuririn panicked mentally. '_That was my one ticket of winning this fight, and it's gone! Well, If I'm gonna fight desperately, might as well put on a brave face while I can…'_

"Oi! What's that over there?!"

"Huh?" Gokū turned to see where Kuririn was pointing, only to receive a swift elbow to his face. "Oh, so we're going for cheap shots now?!"

"All's fair in love and war, Gokū!" Kuririn retorted.

"Alright then," Gokū smirked, removing his hand from his face, showing a mild bruise. "Since Jackie Chun finished the last match in a boring way, I'll try and up the ante!"

"'Up the ante?'" Kuririn repeated. "Up the ante of what?!"

Suddenly, Gokū vanished, causing Kuririn to quickly check his surroundings to find his opponent. He was not coming from behind or at his sides. He was not coming from above, and certainly was not coming from below. A new sound assaulted Kuririn's ears - a very frequent tapping sound, coming at him from all angles.

"What in the world?!" The announcer cried out. "Or should I say, what not in the world! Contestant Son Gokū has vanished, and I can only hear a tapping sound in his place!"

'_He hasn't vanished!'_ Tenshinhan exclaimed mentally. '_He's simply moving too fast to be seen. That tapping is him kicking off the ground. Even I can't keep up with him…!'_

"Boo!" Gokū suddenly appeared in front of kuririn, making a silly face, easily startling the bald teenager. Gokū followed up with several swift jabs, but delivered a much slower sweep of the legs and a swift uppercut followed by a sledgehammer blow that landed Kuririn out of bounds.

"C-Contestant Kuririn is out of bounds!" The announcer stammered. "Son Gokū is the winner!"

The crowd cheered for the victory, pleased with the finale to this battle, though some spectators had complaints.

"That was awesome! That punch upward and slam down!"

"Gokū had Kuririn on the ropes!"

"That combo was cheap! I've seen it in video games before!"

"Oh stop being a spoilsport!"

"Of course he pulled those last few punches," Caulifla sighed with a smile. "The audience couldn't follow his speed, so he slowed down to give a little extra fanfare. Makes up for your sleepy time victory, Mr. Chun."

"I'll say," Jackie Chun nodded. "I couldn't tell where he went after he vanished."

Gokū gave a small bow before he walked over to the arena edge and helped up Kuririn with a smile on his face.

"Sorry about that, buddy," Gokū apologized. "You had some cool moves though!"

"Sheesh," Kuririn sighed. "I knew you were strong, but that was absurd! How'd you disappear like that?"

"I'll show you later," Gokū shrugged, his cheery expression subsiding ever so slightly. "I got an odd feeling about Caulifla's fight though."

"What do you mean?"

"I dunno. I'm feeling a bit worried."

"I don't think it's anything to be a worrywort about. If Caulifla's as strong as you, that Chi-Chi girl doesn't stand a chance!"

The two Turtle Schoolers entered the green room and Gokū was greeted by Caulifla, who had a goofy grin on her face.

"Awesome fight out there, Gokū!" Caulifla applauded. Gokū simply nodded, a look of concern visible on his face. "You alright?"

"I dunno," Gokū answered honestly. "I just got this feeling. I think you should keep on your toes for this fight."

Gokū's tone was serious, something Caulifla doesn't hear often. "I'll take heed to that," she nodded, earning a nod from Gokū back.

* * *

"Alright ladies and Gentlemen!" The announcer called out over his microphone. We are now ready to move onto the 4th round before the semifinals! Contestants Caulifla and Chi-Chi, please step forward!"

Over by the Spectator wings, Gyūmaō was excited to finally see his daughter fight. When he finally saw her however, his excitement was replaced with confusion, as Chi-Chi was adorned in the same green and yellow qipao as the other Crane Schoolers, even including the '鶴' kanji on the front.

"Contestant Caulifla is one we should all remember, folks!" The announcer explained. "She was the one who took home the gold last time! Her opponent, Contestant Chi-Chi, is a new face to this competition, The daughter of Gyūmaō - a contestant from the 16th Tenka'ichi Budōkai - has appeared to opt for the Crane School, and looks ready to take the title for herself!"

"The Crane School?!" Gyūmaō exclaimed.

Chi-Chi noticed her father in the spectator wings, but paid no mind to his misgivings. She was here for one reason. She and Caulifla took to opposite ends of the ring, the latter offering a small bow, earning a scowl from the mountain princess. The two female warriors settled into their respective fighting stances.

"We didn't finish our fight last time," Chi-Chi calmly spoke. "I intend to finish it…"

"You really have a grudge issue, you know that?" Caulifla retorted.

The taiko drums began to thunder and ramp up in tempo until it became a trill.

GONG!

"Begin!"

"HA!" Chi-Chi began with a mighty shout, thrusting her palm forward, sending a swift kiai in the direction of Caulifla, who swiftly rolled out of the way. The Frypan princess followed up with several more rapid-fire gusts that built up on each other, amplifying their combined strength. Caulifla ducked under the barrage and launched herself forward, fist primed. She aimed for the princess's face, but was met with an open palm. The two were locked in a fierce exchange of limbs before Chi-Chi pulled her head back and delivered a swift headbutt to Caulifla's forehead, causing her to stumble back a few steps. She was able to quickly recover and begin parrying Chi-Chi's counter-offensive with relative ease. Eventually, the two sprung back to opposite ends of the ring, settling back into their respective stances.

"Was that opening supposed to be witty irony for what I pulled before?~" Caulifla commented with a smirk. "I'll give you kudos for the rapid-fire bit. Makes it stronger at long range."

"I don't want you singing praises after you stole Gokū from me!" Chi-Chi retorted.

"You're still on about that?" Caulifla sighed with an eyeroll. "He made a mistake a brick of lead would've made back then! You shouldn't hold him to that!"

"And then there's you!" Chi-Chi spat, a fiery rage building in her eyes. "You made him break his promise!"

"Alright, I've heard enough from the spoiled princess brat of Frypan," Caulifla sighed.

The Saiyan girl charged forward with a battle cry and delivered a swift volley of punches and kicks, only a few of which hit home. Eventually, Chi-Chi took to the air and hovered. Caulifla simply rolled her eyes and did the same, renewing their fight in the sky.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I may need to make an appointment with a chiropractor after this!" The announcer joked as he tilted his head upward to watch the fight. "Contestants Chi-Chi and Caulifla have taken this fight airborne, while seemingly paying no heed to Gravity!"

Caulifla batted away a knife-hand jab that was aimed at her sternum and was able to get a clear shot at Chi-Chi's back, which she capitalized on with a double axe handle, sending her plummeting to the ground, but she landed deftly. Caulifla simply floated down and assumed her stance once more.

"Got any tricks up your sleeve?" Caulifla asked, tilting her head to the side.

"Oh, you have no idea," Chi-Chi snarled. "DODONPA!"

Chi-Chi immediately fired several of the Crane School's specialty ki attack at Caulifla, who deftly dodged each and every blast with ease. Some of the beams began to arch and come around, prompting Caulifla to backhand them away, leaving wafts of steam where they hit.

"Projectile manipulation! Nice!" Caulifla commented as she rubbed her hands to ease the tingling sensation from her parries. "I'm also glad you're wearing something that's more sensible."

"I said I didn't want compliments, you Thistle-headed freak!" Chi-Chi screamed, her temper flaring. "Least of all from you, you thistle-headed hussy!"

The crowd gasped at Chi-Chi's words, while Caulifla's eye twitched ever so slightly.

"I'm the hussy?!" Caulifla repeated, now visibly and audibly annoyed. "I'm sorry, who was the 12-year-old bikini-wearing mountain brat that jumped at the first opportunity to marry an idiot?!"

"You leave my wardrobe out of this!" Chi-Chi snapped back.

"Then stow the crazy screaming and prove to me that you're not some spoiled brat that's getting pissy because she's not getting what she wanted!"

"Well I'd rather be a spoiled brat than a monstrous murderer!" Chi-Chi spat back, causing the crowd collectively to gasp, and Caulifla's eyes to widen.

"What… did you just... say…?" Caulifla muttered in an almost whisper.

"I've heard the stories of Menra Village!" Chi-Chi answered, her glare deepening. Jackie Chun gave a quiet gasp, while Gokū was realizing he was right to worry. Chi-Chi continued. "I've heard about how once upon a time, this once happy village founded by the legendary Ramen-Sennin took in a girl with a monkey's tail. Just. Like. You."

"Shut up…" Caulifla muttered, her body now trembling.

"Oh but she was told never to go outside at night!" Chi-Chi continued, adding more and more venom to her words. "Especially on nights of the full moon! Otherwise, terrible monsters would come for her the village!"

"S-Shut up…!" Caulifla croaked, tears now rolling down her face.

Chi-Chi launched a flurry of punches that hit home, Caulifla too shook to bother to put up her guard. Gokū was growing more worried by the second, and also more angry as Chi-Chi spat the story out for all to hear.

"But one night, she ignored that rule, and woke up in the morning to see the village destroyed!" Chi-Chi began to scream the story with pent up fury as she pummeled the paralyzed Caulifla. "All of her friends and family killed by the monsters she was told about! It was there she discovered that _she was the monster all along!"_

Chi-Chi pulled her fist back to deliver one final punch, but as she sent it forth, it was caught by a trembling hand. Caulifla's face was warped into a fierce scowl, and her irises, which were as black as midnight, were now an eerie shade of yellow.

"I… Said… **SHUT UUUUUP!"**

Caulifla roared at the top of her lungs, causing a massive torrent of wind to swirl around her. A faint orange aura began to halo around her form and her muscle mass began to swell by a small margin. Even her hair began to grow wilder than it usually was. With a swift toss of her arm, she threw Chi-Chi into the air, who righted herself with her own ki, simultaneously mortified at what was happening, but also ecstatic that her opportunity was coming.

"**YOU THINK I'M A MONSTER?!"** Caulifla screamed with unheard of fury, tears rolling down her face. "**I'LL SHOW YOU A MONSTER YOU **_**CALLOUS BITCH!"**_

Caulifla clawed her index and middle fingers and prepared a Kamebāsuto, not even bothering with the incantation. The red sphere built up and crackled with arcs of electricity, indicating how unstable it was. With a mighty roar, the Saiyan girl thrust her hands forward and launched the red sphere directly at Chi-Chi, who simply smirked. The mountain princess splayed her hands at both sides of her face and waited.

"TAIYOKEN!"

Suddenly, a bright flash of light emitted from Chi-Chi's being, prompting everyone except for those wearing sunglasses to shield their eyes, including Caulifla. This was what Chi-Chi was counting on, as Caulifla pulled her arms apart, causing the Kamebāsuto to detonate prematurely and catch her in the wake of her own explosion. Chi-Chi did not bother to wait for the smoke to clear and launched a kiai at the smokescreen to reveal a badly singed Caulifla, eyes still squinting from the assault on her retinae and the yellow glow in her irises faded. The mountain princess launched herself downward and delivered a swift punch to Caulifla's gut, causing her to gasp with pain as all the air in her lungs was forced out. Chi-Chi then moved in for a whisper.

"_I'll make sure you never have him, you thistle-headed whore…"_

Before Caulifla could give any response, Chi-Chi swiftly kicked the Saiyan girl in the ribs that sent her out of the arena and onto the grassy turf.

"Uh, C-Contestant Caulifla i-is out of bounds," The announcer stammered, shaken up by the brutal display by Chi-Chi. "C-Contestant Chi-Chi is the winner."

But Chi-Chi was not done yet. She held up her index finger, which built up a pulsating orange sphere of ki, and pointed it directly at the downed Caulifla, staring icily at her target.

"DODONPA!"

The orange beam shrieked across the distance between Chi-Chi's fingertip and Caulifla, intent on killing the Saiyan girl where she was.

But this was not to be.

With a resounding crack, the blast was batted skywards as a third person stood between Chi-Chi and Caulifla. Son Gokū had stepped in, glaring furiously at Chi-Chi and having a small waft of steam emit from the back of his palm.

"You crossed the line, Chi-Chi," Gokū growled, absolutely furious with what the mountain princess had attempted. She might have been seeing things, but it almost looked as if Gokū's irises shimmered yellow for a brief moment. "I'm putting an end to this madness once we fight…"

* * *

Taiyoken - Solar Flare

* * *

**A/N:** _And consider these nerves touched! The fight between Goku and Kuririn wasn't anything to write home about. Battle starts off even, throw in whatever tricks they got, Goku ramps up the power, Goku wins. It was the fight between Chi-Chi and Caulifla, however short it may be, that I wanted to write, as I had this encounter plotted out for a while. I was actually half-tempted to bring it right before the Red Ribbon arc, but hindsight now tells me I was right to save it for here. I also initially planned to have Caulifla snap after Chi-Chi mutters something that caught her ear, but I figured this approach would be better in the end. Also, welcome back, dub discrepancy key! :)_

_On a side note, holy crap, I have over 500 follows on this story, and a little under 500 faves! Thank you very much for sticking around. I honestly didn't expect that, and I just recently noticed. Okay, audience thank-you pandering aside, I hope this was a fun read, and do leave a review sharing your thoughts. :)_


	31. Chapter 31: Crane Vs Turtle - Match 1

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai**_

Everyone watching the arena was quiet as Gokū and Chi-Chi glared at each other with ominous fury that was almost palpable. The Frypan princess had attempted to strike down her defeated opponent with cold brutality until Son Gokū intercepted the attempt. Caulifla was still down and breathing shakily, while the announcer was trying to figure out what to say. Eventually he pulled words together and held up his microphone.

"L-Ladies and Gentlemen," The announcer stammered. "This is certainly an unprecedented outcome for the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. Contestant Chi-Chi attempted to strike down Contestant Caulifla after she lost due to ring out, but Contestant Son Gokū had intercepted and prevented further harm. I will need to speak to the monks about this, so for now, we shall take a 30 minute recess."

Several audience members let loose a breath that was held from all the tension in the air. As the crowd began to disperse to take care of their own business, Chi-Chi turned away and returned to the waiting wings, furious that her revenge had been denied. Gokū meanwhile relaxed his glare and turned his attention to Caulifla, who was quietly sobbing into the earth.

"Are you alright?" Gokū asked softly, placing a hand on her back.

"What happened to me out there?" Caulifla choked out in a whisper. "I… I've never felt so angry in my entire life…"

"I'm sure anyone would've gotten that angry if they were in your shoes," Gokū consoled.

"That's not it…" Caulifla retorted. "You know that rage and power we feel when we turn Oozaru? It felt just like that…"

"I guess it's something we'll have to figure out," Gokū responded lamely with a frown. He thought back to what happened in the arena, what with Chi-Chi's vitriolic recounting of Caulifla's history, and the root of the princess's vendetta. "I'm sorry, Caulifla," Gokū said sullenly. "I feel like I could've prevented this."

Caulifla lifted her head and offered a sad smile in response to Gokū's frown. "Don't beat yourself up for my sake, Kakarrot," Caulifla sniffled, earning a small flinch from the boy in question. "There was no way we could've known she'd be this insane. The only way you could've prevented this is to go along with her wants, and you probably wouldn't be happy in the long run. I couldn't do that to you."

Gokū eventually smiled and pulled Caulifla in for a hug, adding his tail to the embrace, to which Caulifla reciprocated. Several audience members who remained gave an audible 'aww,' including Gyūmaō, who had watched the whole ordeal. Gokū helped her girlfriend up to her feet and hobbled her over to the waiting wings, where Kuririn was the first to greet them.

"Man, I'm sorry about what happened out there," Kuririn consoled. "If you need an extra set of ears to open up to, I'm here."

"Thanks, Kuririn," Caulifla waved off. Jackie Chun stepped forward, a gloomy look on his face.

"You were raised by Menra?" Jackie Chun asked quietly. Caulifla said nothing and simply nodded. The disguised master offered a small smile and knelt down to Caulifla's level. "I'm certain she would forgive you, lass. I've known her longer than anyone in this room has existed put together."

"You knew Mera-Sensei?" Caulifla asked, surprised that the disguised Kame-Sennin knew the Ramen-Sennin.

"Indeed," Jackie Chun nodded. "Back in my youth, I was a student of the greatest martial artist of that era, Mutaito. Menra and the Tsuru-Sennin were fellow students at the time. A terrible conflict nearly consumed the world centuries ago, and Mutaito laid his life down to save it. I thought Menra perished during that conflict, but I am relieved knowing she had lived for so long."

Jackie Chun placed a hand on Caulifla's shoulder and offered a warm smile. "It also explains your culinary aptitude," he said with a small chuckle. "Menra was not called the Ramen-Sennin for nothing.~ She was a kind soul whose heart rivaled Son Gohan's, and I'm certain she would forgive you."

"T-Thank you, Mu-Mr. Chun," Caulifla bowed, feeling somewhat better. Gokū walked up to Caulifla's side and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"How's about I prep a few triple BLTs for all of us, since we have time?" Gokū offered with a warm smile. "I know you offered, but I think you need it more than I do."

"On Texas toast please," Caulifla requested, smiling once again, to which Gokū happily nodded and proceeded to prepare.

"Anyone else want some?" Gokū offered. Kuririn raised a hand, eager to have a mid-round lunch, the same going with Jackie Chun. Chi-Chi, naturally, refused the order, and Tenshinhan was quick to do the same. "Alright then. Lemme just get my stuff ready."

While Gokū got to work prepping the mid-round lunch for everyone, Jackie Chun heard heavy footsteps approaching from the audience wings. '_I don't expect you to know what to do in this situation, Gyūmaō,'_ The old master thought. '_I especially wouldn't know what to do.'_

Lumbering into the waiting wings was the imposing form of Gyūmaō with an upset expression on his face. Even when not wearing his armor, his presence was imposing, moreso when he was not happy. Gokū looked away from his BLT work and noticed Chi-Chi's father with them and reflexively flinched back ever so slightly. The Frypan Princess looked nonplussed to see her father here.

"Get over here, Chi-Chi." The Frypan King sternly ordered. The girl in question ignored her father, irritating Gyūmaō further. "_Now."_

Reluctantly, Chi-Chi walked over to her father and then hovered up to face him at eye level, frowning the entire time.

"Why did you do it?" Gyūmaō inquired. "Why did you abandon my teachings and follow the Crane School?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Chi-Chi retorted, jerking her head in Caulifla's direction. "I wanted to get back at that thistle head for stealing Gokū away from me."

"Gokū made a mistake, Chi-Chi," Gyūmaō retorted.

"I don't want to hear it!" Chi-Chi snapped back. "You were the one who suggested it in the first place, dad!"

Gyūmaō had no counter to that statement. Chi-Chi was so hell-bent on making Gokū hers that she was willing to kill to get what she wanted.

"What would your mother think?" Gyūmaō asked quietly, earning a flinch from Chi-Chi. "What would she think if she saw you so blinded by revenge that you would kill someone just to get what you wanted?"

"Well gee, I couldn't answer that," Chi-Chi spat venomously. "I never got to know her before she died."

With that, Chi-Chi returned to ground level and walked away with a frustrated huff. Gyūmaō was left hurt by his daughter's words. Gokū soon walked over to the towering Ox King with a sad look on his face.

"Mr. Gyūmaō, I-"

"Don't," Gyūmaō interrupted. "You're not to blame here, and neither is your girlfriend. When Chi-Chi's mother passed away, I doted over my daughter to no end. I spoiled her. Hindsight is a frustrating thing."

"You've taken the first step to fixing your problem though," Jackie Chun added, walking up to his former student. "As for what you could do next, I cannot say for certain."

"I think the next step is in Gokū's hands, not mine," Gyūmaō suggested, earning a look of surprise from the boy in question. "I'd hate to ask this of you, kiddo, but if you can, please help Chi-Chi correct her course, in the arena if need be."

"I'll do what I can, Mr. Gyūmaō," Gokū nodded. "Oh, and Grandpa Gohan says hi."

"G-Gohan said-"

"Uranai Baba's work," Jackie Chun interrupted. "I'm sure you've heard of her, yes?"

"Oh right," Gyūmaō sighed with a small chuckle. "You did mention your sister once or twice."

"Wait Wha-"

"Oh come on, Muten Rōshi!" Gyūmaō interrupted with a goofy smile. "You think I'd not figure it out over the course of 3 decades?"

"Hmph. Might need a new disguise then,~" The disguised hermit chuckled. "Pretty much everyone here knows who I am at this point."

* * *

"Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for your patience!" The announcer called out over his microphone, earning a cheer from the crowd. "I've spoken with the monks, and they have decided that despite Contestant Chi-Chi's actions, she will still proceed to the semifinals."

This earned a few boos from the crowd to which the announcer was prepared for. "However, Despite Contestant Son Gokū's interruption, he will proceed as well to fight Contestant Chi-Chi in the semifinals!"

The crowd went from booing to cheering at the news, which earned a proud smile from the announcer.

"Speaking of the semifinals, we will now get underway with the first round! Contestants Jackie Chun and Tenshinhan, please step forward!"

As prompted by the sunglasses-wearing announcer, Tenshinhan and Jackie Chun stepped from the waiting wings and onto the arena, taking to their respective ends of the marble grid. Jackie Chun offered a small bow before the announcer could speak. Tenshinhan flinched ever so slightly at this display of manners from someone who knew he was out for their blood. He hesitated for a moment before returning a bow of his own. Both warriors could feel the air by the spectator wings tense up. Clearly the Tsuru-Sennin was not happy that Tenshinhan was being so formal to his rival.

'_He's never been one for sportsmanship,'_ Jackie Chun sighed mentally.

"These two competitors will surely give us a good showing for the first match of the semifinals, folks!" The announcer cried out. "Contestant Jackie Chun was a former champion of the 16th Tenka'ichi Budōkai and looks eager to take home the gold after Son Gokū defeated him last time! Tenshinhan however has demonstrated how powerful and skilled he is, so it's anyone's guess who will win!"

The drums began to slowly ramp up into a trill, until…

_GONG!_

"Begin!"

Immediately both combatants lunged at each other. Tenshinhan began with a swift punch which Jackie Chun blocked with his forearm. The older master was not eager to allow his foe to keep up pressure, so he threw a swift kick in return, only to be blocked in kind. Tenshinhan followed up with a kick of his own, but Jackie Chun ducked and grabbed his leg, followed up by a mighty throw of the three-eyed warrior. Tenshinhan was quick to right himself and once he touched the arena floor, he sprung forward with a double knife hand chop charge. Jackie Chun vaulted over this maneuver, and both fighters rebounded their momentum back in each other's direction to deliver a series of rapid fire strikes at each other in mid-air. When the two landed, Jackie Chun suddenly split into 8 different Jackie Chuns and encircled the three-eyed warrior.

"Zanzoken, eh?" Tenshinhan grumbled before turning his attention to one of the Chun clones "Not gonna work on me!"

Tenshinhan delivered a swift kick to Jackie Chun's jawline and sent the old man flying into the arena-adjacent wall, earning several gasps from both the spectator and waiting wings.

"There's a benefit to having extra eyes, old man!" Tenshinhan boasted, gesturing a finger to his central eyeball. "Illusionary moves like that won't work on me."

Jackie Chun dusted himself off and lightly chuckled to himself. "Guess I'll have to fight seriously now," The disguised master muttered. With one swift motion of his arm, he ripped off the coat of his tangzhuang, revealing a lean and relatively toned form - an improvement to the lack of muscle before the training regimen for the 21st Tenka'ichi Budōkai. Jackie Chun adjusted his stance accordingly and glared at his foe. "Come at me!"

"Don't assume I'll hold back because you're my senior!" Tenshinhan roared as he charged forward, moving his arms in swift jabbing motions. "You can't even see my hands, can you?!"

Immediately, Tenshinhan's question was answered as Jackie Chun grabbed both of his forearms, preventing any damage being done. The older master followed up with a swift knee to Tenshinhan's gut, causing him to gasp. Jackie Chun immediately followed up with an uppercut kick that sent the three-eyed warrior flying. Tenshinhan landed a short ways away, but raced in with a swift charge, fast enough to catch Jackie Chun off-guard and take a knee to the sternum and a particularly fierce right hook. The elder warrior was knocked to his back, but immediately sprung back to his feet to deliver a quick punch to Tenshinhan's jaw, forcing him back a few meters to recover and nurse the bruise on his face.

'_This old hermit sure packs a punch,' _Tenshinhan contemplated mentally. '_He's better than Tsuru-Sennin, and that's saying something.'_

'_Despite his choice in master, this kid is no slouch,'_ the disguised hermit thought. '_To take those attacks head-on and return them in kind is nothing to sneeze at.'_

"Ladies and gentlemen, these two appear neck and neck in terms of speed and strength!" The announcer called out. "There's no telling what they'll do next!"

"I won't say your master Tsuru-Sennin is wholly evil," Jackie Chun stated, earning a small grimace from Tenshinhan. "But his intentions are not noble, even if they are to avenge someone. I don't see why an outstanding warrior such as yourself would allow him to puppeteer you for his own goals."

"Watch your mouth," Tenshinhan warned. "Master Tsuru-Sennin has taught me more than you realize. I am no one's puppet."

"I see," Jackie Chun sighed, settling into a defensive stance. "Why don't you prove it to me then?"

"Hmph," Tenshinhan harrumphed before smirking. "Alright. I'll start by showing you my full strength."

Jackie Chun flinched, given the impression that his opponent was not going all-out until now. Tenshinhan splayed his hands at the sides of his face, palms facing backwards and grinned.

"Kuririn, you might need these," Gokū implored, handing the monk a pair of sunglasses, which he happily took, remembering what Chi-Chi did before. Both Saiyans wore their respective shades and braced for what was going to come next.

"TAIYŌKEN!"

Immediately a blinding flash of light enveloped the arena, emanating from Tenshinhan's being. Jackie Chun was immediately blinded but was swiftly knocked to the ground by a knee to the back of his neck. The triclops stood up with a smirk.

"Don't worry," Tenshinhan said. "He's still alive. I don't want to risk that if I'm to proceed onwards. He might never wake up again though."

Tenshinhan could easily tell without looking at him that Tsuru-Sennin was not happy with his approach and was growling from behind the spectator wings.

"What a diversion, folks!" The announcer cried out. "Tenshinhan used the same light technique Contestant Chi-Chi used against Contestant Caulifla, and kneed Jackie Chun from behind! He looks to be out, but I'll start the 10 count just to be sure. One! Two! Three! Four-"

Before the announcer could say 'Five,' Jackie Chun groaned to life and struggled to push himself to his feet.

"That one really smarts, lad!" Jackie Chun growled with annoyance before smirking underneath his thick beard. "That said, congratulations on proving your point."

"What do you mean?" Tenshinhan inquired, arching an eyebrow.

"You elected not to kill me, even if it's just to advance in the tournament," Jackie Chun answered. "That makes you easily more honorable than your master who elected to follow a darker path. It may be a longshot for him, but you still have a chance to change for the better."

"Spare me this fortune cookie crap!" Tenshinhan roared as he charged forward. "I'll make you eat those words!"

Tenshinhan unleashed a fierce volley of attacks that pushed Jackie Chun back, followed by a swift kick to the face, which the older hermit recovered from, the only visible damage being a bloody nose.

"Not as cocky as before, eh?" Jackie Chun chuckled as he wiped the blood from his nose. "Are you losing your nerve?"

"As if!" Tenshinhan snapped back.

"All I'm saying is that you should consider living a little. Make a few friends. I know the little guy with you means well. Or would you rather go down in history as a scorned assassin that is frowned upon by all but the lowest of beings on this earth?"

Tenshinhan said nothing in response and remained quiet for several seconds before smirking again.

"I'll… consider your words," Tenshinhan sighed. "But first, we have a fight to finish, and I know just the way to do it. You might find this interesting."

"Nudie mags?" Jackie Chun guessed with a shrug, earning a nonplussed expression from Tenshinhan.

"Wh-No!" Tenshinhan snapped back. "Why would I have such things?!"

"Hahaha! I was only kidding, lad!" Jackie Chun laughed. "Even I have my weaknesses to overcome."

"Kaaa… Meee..." Tenshinhan began as he outstretched his arms and put his wrists together, curling his fingers.

'_Oh, THAT kind of surprise!'_ Jackie Chun exclaimed mentally, almost shocked at what was happening.

"Is he-?!" Gokū exclaimed, recognizing the maneuver.

"Haaa… Meee…" Tenshinhan incanted as he pulled his arms back and the blue sphere of his latent ki pooled forth, smirking the entire time.

"It is!" Kuririn exclaimed, confirming it as the Turtle School's specialty.

"HA!"

Tenshinhan thrust his palms forward and unleashed a brilliant wave of white-blue ki that was absurdly massive.

"That blast is huge!" Jackie Chun shouted, almost stupefied. "That might kill some of the spectators!"

Immediately, Jackie Chun thrust his hands forward in an effort to catch the massive recreation of the Turtle School's Kamehameha. Just before it could make contact, the beam diverted course and around to Jackie Chun's side, who swiftly adjusted his hands to block accordingly. With a mighty roar, he rebounded the attack skyward and let out a relieved sigh.

"Absolutely incredible, folks!" The announcer cheered. "Contestant Tenshinhan of the Crane School launched an immense Kamehameha - a Turtle School specialty with ease!"

"It's not a difficult move in principle," Tenshinhan boasted with a continued smirk. "Anyone with rudimentary understanding of ki control could do it. Why don't you show me more techniques? I'd like to learn them!"

"You are certainly no slouch, and better than I could've expected," Jackie Chun sighed, smirking underneath his beard. "I've been waiting for warriors like yourself to come along. I truly hope you follow the path of light and use your strength for the better."

Tenshinhan's smirk faded, annoyed that Jackie Chun was still continuing this supposed drivel, but the old master did something unexpected. He turned around and nonchalantly hopped onto the grassy turf outside of the arena.

"Now I can get back to good ol' retirement again," Jackie Chun chuckled as he hefted himself back onto the arena, nodding to the announcer.

"O-Out of bounds!" The announcer stammered. "Contestant Tenshinhan has won by ring-out!"

"Why the hell did you ring yourself out on purpose, hermit?!" Tennshinhan shouted, outraged that his opponent gave up so easily. Jackie Chun had just finished buttoning his coat when he turned around, only to be wearing sunglasses. He then proceeded to peel the glue of his wig off, causing everyone in the crowd, arena, and waiting wings to collectively gasp. "You… You removed your disguise?!"

"C-Contestant Jackie Chun has removed his hair!" The announcer stammered.

"It's a wig you nitwit!" Muten Rōshi snapped, causing the announcer to flinch back. "Gimme that!" Muten Rōshi then proceeded to snatch the microphone away from the announcer. "I am the Kame-Sennin, Muten Rōshi - Founder of the Turtle School. Sorry for the get-up, folks, but I do have my reasons. You see, Jackie Chun was for the sake of my students. If one of them were to win this prestigious competition, it would likely put them on a high horse and cause them to slack off. It's an especially dangerous trap for younger fighters. I was lucky that one of my students, Caulifla, did not fall for these trappings, given the circumstances of her victory last time."

The Kame-Sennin turned to face Tenshinhan, microphone still in hand. "Of course the new generation from what I've seen seems to be turning out alright. None of my students show signs of any possible ego trips, so I am confident that Jackie Chun can be retired. Better still, I'm pleased to see that students of other schools, despite my grievances with their masters, are no slouches either."

"But to throw away your disguise like that?" Tenshinhan questioned.

"Well, it was kind of a lousy disguise in hindsight," Rōshi shrugged. "All of my students figured out it was me in the end, so I decided to ditch it, 'specially since the new generation has supplanted its use. And even if we were to continue fighting, I suspect you would have eventually overpower me and I would have lost in the end."

Muten Rōshi lightly hopped over the spectator wing barrier and waved. "Toodles, and good luck, lad! I expect a good match from you!"

Muten Rōshi tossed the microphone back to the announcer, who fumbled with it for a moment before getting a solid grip on the device and clearing his throat. "Ladies and Gentlemen, this is truly unexpected!" The announcer called out. Contestant Jackie Chun - The champion of the 16th Tenka'ichi Budōkai and runner-up of the 21st was none other than Muten Rōshi himself! Let's all take his words of wisdom into account, folks, as his experience seems to have no bounds!"

'_To simply admit he was fighting a losing battle…'_ Tenshinhan mentally mused. The three-eyed warrior was left bewildered and walked back into the waiting wings. The first thing he was met with was Gokū holding up a plate with a deliciously toasted BLT on it.

"I made a few extras, if you're interested," Gokū offered with a smile, leaving Tenshinhan even more bewildered than he was to begin with, and Gokū picked up on this. "Don't get me wrong, I'm still upset with what you did to Yamcha, but I think Ja-_*ahem*_ Muten Rōshi has a point. Assassin work doesn't seem to suit ya."

Tenshinhan looked at the Saiyan boy, but eventually smiled and accepted the BLT peace offering. "You Turtle Schoolers really are something else," Tenshinhan shrugged as he took a bite out of the sandwich, only for all 3 of his eyes to open wide as the flavor sensation of perfectly seasoned and toasted Texas toast assaulted his taste buds, complimented by the cool lettuce and tomato, along with the smoky flavor of the bacon, and a light layer of mayonnaise on the top side of the bread. "How did you make this?!"

"I had some cooking lessons," Gokū answered, gesturing his head in Caulifla's direction, who gave a small smile and wave.

"Like I said, you guys truly are something else," Tenshinhan reiterated as he sat down to enjoy the offered BLT.

"You won't get in my good graces so easily, Gokū," Chi-Chi grumbled as she walked up to Gokū, causing his gaze to harshen.

"I don't expect to," Gokū retorted flatly. "But I do expect you to fight fairly this time around."

Chi-Chi said nothing in response, and the two fighters waited for the announcer to call them forth.

* * *

**A/N:** _Hookay! Big fight between Roshi and Tien! Nothing really more to say than that. Though, I did want to incorporate the Jackie Chun reveal, because let's face it, everyone and their dog and their dog's squeaky toy knew who he was at this point. Also, we got some backstory on Caulifla's foster family! I do hope this was a fun read, and please do leave a reivew letting me know what you think. :)_


	32. Chapter 32: Bye Bye Birdie

_**Tenka'ichi Budōkai**_

"Alright, Ladies and Gentlemen!" The announcer shouted through his microphone with consistent vigor. "We are ready to commence the second match of the semifinals! Contestants Son Gokū and Chi-Chi, please step onto the arena!"

"Kick her ass into next week for me," Caulifla requested as Gokū walked out of the waiting wings. The boy answered with a nod and smile before trekking into the arena.

"Gokū should have this in the bag," Kuririn consoled Caulifla as he watched the Saiyan step forth.

"Don't be so sure," Tenshinhan retorted. "Chi-Chi lucked out when she turned that Kamebasuto against Caulifla, but she's still a vicious fighter."

Caulifla said nothing in response, but had a feeling Tenshinhan was correct, as she could attest to the results of how hell-bent she was. She began to feel concern for Gokū's well-being, just as he did for her's. Despite her faith, she feared he would lose this fight, and not solely by Chi-Chi's doing.

"Hey Tien - I can call you Tien, right?" Caulifla spoke up, the three-eyed warrior nodding in response to her question. "Maybe you should head by the spectator wings. You might get a better view from there."

Caulifla motioned her head towards the spectator wings, specifically to the quadrant the Tsuru-Sennin was watching from. Slowly, but surely, Tenshinhan caught onto what Caulifla was getting at and nodded quietly before shuffling over.

Gokū's smile faded once he took his place in the arena. He struggled to bring himself to bow to his opponent, as he still respected formalities in a competitive fight, even if he was livid. Gokū then settled into a comfortable fighting stance and gently wrapped his tail around his waist. Chi-Chi, understandably, did not bow and settled into an aggressive fighting stance, glaring dangerously at her target.

"Alright folks!" The announcer shouted into his microphone. "This promises to be a fierce battle! Contestant Son Gokū of the Turtle School fighting against Contestant Chi-Chi of the Crane School!"

'_Don't expect an easy fight, Son Gokū,'_ Chi-Chi warned mentally. '_I will make you pay for breaking your promise…'_

'_You tried to kill Caulifla,'_ Gokū monologued in his head. '_I'm not gonna let that slide, and I have just the technique to take you down.'_

_GONG!_

"Begin!"

Chi-Chi opened up with a barrage of kiai that barreled towards Gokū with furious speed, stacking on top of each other to build into a powerful gust. The Saiyan was quick to get out of the way of the invisible force and vaulted himself into an arch, amplifying his descent with his ki to deliver a swift kick to Chi-Chi's face. The Frypan princess saw this coming at the last second and deftly avoided the attack, causing Gokū to kick the tile floor, causing it to crumble under his feet. Not wanting to give him a chance to follow up, Chi-Chi unleashed a volley of Dodonpa from her fingertips, each of which Gokū swiftly backhanded them skywards. One last beam came for him, but as he primed his hand to bat it away, the orange beam arched around him and aimed for his side, only to be blocked just in time by a reactionary palm. Gokū then changed his palm to point his index finger, and from the tip, a thin orange ball of ki began to manifest itself.

"DODONPA!"

Gokū launched the Crane School specialty attack directly at Chi-Chi, who swiftly avoided the deadly orange beam, but soon found that it was changing course and barreling towards her.

"How in the-?!" Was all Chi-Chi could spell out before a quick double axe handle appeared behind her as if from nowhere, and slammed her into the orange beam, exploding on contact.

"Incredible, ladies and gentlemen!" The announcer cheered. "Contestant Son Gokū, just like Contestant Tenshinhan, has mimicked his rival school's patented technique, and slammed Contestant Chi-Chi right into it!"

"That's it!" Caulifla cheered from the waiting wings, giddy to see that maneuver turned around.

Gokū waited for the smokescreen to clear, not wanting to waste his ki on a gentle kiai to blow it away. When the smoke began to dissipate, Chi-Chi was standing there, palm red, and breathing steadily as she returned to her aggressive fighting stance.

"Nice one," Gokū complimented, causing Chi-Chi's scowl to deepen. "I didn't think you'd be able to recover to block that."

"Do you always compliment your opponents so hollowly?" Chi-Chi spat, causing Gokū to frown.

"I'm just saying I'm impressed you wriggled out of that stunt," Gokū answered.

"Like you wriggled out of your promise to marry me?!" Chi-Chi retorted, not skipping a beat.

"I tried to tell you that I made a mistake," Gokū answered as calmly as he could. "To hold that against someone is-"

"I refuse to believe you made a mistake, Gokū!" Chi-Chi interrupted, causing the boy to scowl. "That thistle-headed girl brainwashed you and stole you from me!"

Gokū sighed in exasperation, realizing this was going to go nowhere. "And you blew your chance of earning me," He retorted, causing Chi-Chi to flinch ever so slightly. Gokū saw this and knew he was getting through. "If you knew anything about me, it's that I don't like life served to me on a silver platter. I want to work for it if I can help it. Caulifla is the same way, and I respect and admire her for that, but if you can't realize that, then it was never meant to be."

Caulifla couldn't help but blush at Gokū's words as well as smile with pride knowing how right he was. Chi-Chi, meanwhile, was now livid at what Gokū had just said. Before she could say anything, the Saiyan put both of his hands together and hummed with focus. Suddenly, small crackles of electricity arched from his arms until they began to wrap around his hands in an electric aura. Gokū pulled his hands apart and clenched his fists, causing the electricity to crack like a thunderbolt.

"Denkiken!" Gokū shouted, charging forward to deliver electrically charged punches towards Chi-Chi. She blocked one with her forearm, but immediately recoiled as the static aura around Gokū's fist began to set her impacted nerves ablaze, and caused her forearm to spasm uncomfortably.

"Folks, Contestant Son Gokū has conjured some sort of electric aura around his fists!" The announcer called out. "And it looks like Contestant Chi-Chi can't handle these proverbial stun gloves!"

Caulifla watched in awe as Gokū pulled out this new technique as if from nowhere. The same stars she had in her eyes when she first witnessed the Kamehameha shimmered to life as Gokū unleashed his now electric fists upon his opponent.

Gokū unleashed a volley of punches against Chi-Chi, all of which she was forced to dodge, lest she be shocked and have her movements hindered. Some of the punches hit home, causing her to slow down at an exponential rate and take more impacts. Suddenly, Gokū let up on his onslaught and backed off, perplexing Chi-Chi as she recomposed herself from the numbing onslaught.

"It looks like Contestant Son Gokū has let up on his assault!" The announcer called out. "What could our Turtle School Warrior be planning now?!"

"W-What are you doing?!" Chi-Chi stammered. "You had this fight!"

"Would you believe me if I said that it would've been too easy?" Gokū inquired, dispersing his Denkiken technique and folding his arms. "And that I want to see you fight at your best?"

"What kind of game are you playing at here?!" Chi-Chi screamed with newfound fury.

"I'm trying to get you to understand humility," Gokū answered calmly.

Chi-Chi could not believe what she was hearing. Son Gokū - the one who broke his promise to run off with some thistle-headed tomboy - was trying to teach her humility?! She was not going to stand for this, and knew just how to approach it. Silently, she reached out with her mind to send a message, and smirked once it had been sent. She began to splay her hands to the sides of her face. "Let's see how good your humility will serve you… TAIYOKEN!"

Immediately a blinding flash erupted from Chi-Chi's being and engulfed the arena in a searing white light once more. She maneuvered around to deliver a swift chop to Gokū's neck, only to be stupefied and find that it was caught. Gokū turned to smirk at Chi-Chi, only for her to realize that he was now wearing sunglasses.

"These came in handy when training under a full moon," Gokū cheekily commented before shoving Chi-Chi away. "But looks like they have a use here as well."

"Full moon?!" Chi-Chi repeated incredulously. "You mean that-"

"I transform into an Oozaru when I look at a full moon," Gokū finished sternly as he removed his sunglasses, leaving Chi-Chi absolutely dumbstruck. "And I'm still insulted by what you said when you berated Caulifla!"

"I-"

"You could've fought her honestly without having to dig up her past and won fair and square," Gokū continued, interrupting Chi-Chi's sentence. "Instead, you not only opened a wound for her, but you brought back the guilt I have to live with regarding Grandpa Gohan! How much more hollow can a victory get?!"

Gokū's irises began to shimmer an eerie shade of yellow as he rushed forward, primed to attack. He charged forward, ready to resume the fight in earnest, but was suddenly halted as he lurched over in spontaneous agony. Chi-Chi grinned and capitalized on this opportunity, delivering a swift volley of chops and kicks to the Saiyan teenager, trying to fight against the sudden pain in his core.

"Contestant Son Gokū has suddenly stopped!" The announcer cried out, the audience gasping in reaction. "It looks as if he's suffering some sort of stomach pain! I can't say I blame him, given his food intake!"

"You cheating little-" Gokū snarled out before a swift kick was delivered to his gut, intensifying the spontaneous pain. He quickly figured out what was going on, as he saw Muten Rōshi take the assault as well. He saw over in the spectator wings, the Tsuru-Sennin chuckling sinisterly as the doll-like Chaotzu reluctantly gestured his hands. "I told you to fight fairly!"

"I have no idea what you're talking about,~" Chi-Chi responded coyly, smirking the entire time.

"What's happening?!" Kuririn shouted from the waiting wings. "Why's Gokū suddenly down?!"

"I knew it," Caulifla muttered quietly, her eyes locked on the waiting wings where the Tsuru-Sennin, Chaotzu, and now Tenshinhan were standing. "That bird brain is interfering…!"

"Tsuru-Sennin…" Muten Rōshi growled as he watched what was transpiring.

Chi-Chi noticed that others were taking notice and swiftly unleashed a merciless volley of knife-hand jabs into the Saiyan teenager before kicking him into the air and towards the arena boundary.

"Oh no you don't!" Gokū strained as he used his ki to levitate in place, stopping short of the grassy turf outside of the arena. His focus began to falter once more as the spontaneous cramping returned.

"Oh yes I do!" Chi-Chi retorted as she suddenly appeared above Gokū and delivered a double chop to the boy's neck before kicking him downward, causing him to impact with the grass. Chi-Chi hovered back onto the arena, a proud smirk adorned on her face.

"C-Contestant Son Gokū is out of bounds!" The announcer stammered, unable to believe what had just happened. "Contestant Chi-Chi is the winner!"

'_And now, kill him!'_ the Tsuru-Sennin ordered telepathically to Chi-Chi, to which she gave a quick nod and primed another Dodonpa at the boy, not wanting any further interruptions.

"Don't do it!"

Everyone looked towards the source of the voice and found it came from Tenshinhan of all people.

"He's already lost this fight," He continued before glaring at his master with unforeseen anger. "No thanks to you."

"Stay out of this, Tien!" Chi-Chi spat, keeping her technique primed, but Tenshinhan was having none of it. Suddenly, Caulifla appeared next to the Frypan princess and gripped her wrist.

"I wouldn't if I were you," Caulifla warned as she glared at the Frypan princess.

"Let. Go. Of. Me…" Chi-Chi growled through her teeth, struggling to free her wrist from Caulifla's grip.

"Then stand down," Caulifla suggested, scowling at the Frypan princess."Or better yet, how about you repeat what you whispered in my ear? Out loud. Enough for everyone to hear you…"

Chi-Chi said nothing and swiftly freed her wrist from Caulifla's grip.

"Muten Rōshi was right," Tenshinhan said sullenly. "There is no honor in being an assassin, or a puppet to one's vendetta."

"Tenshinhan…" The Tsuru-Sennin growled. "Need I remind you who your master is, and what the consequences of disobedience are?! I made you the champion that you are!"

"You expect me to be a champion by relying on such underhanded tactics?!" Tenshinhan retorted. "Do you want Chi-Chi to walk away from the Budōkai knowing her victory was hollow?!"

"To Hell with the Budōkai!" Tsuru-Sennin shrieked, earning several astonished gasps from the crowd. "I came here to have Son Gokū and Caulifla dead! If you wish to add yourself to the list then so be it!"

The Tsuru-Sennin began to vault himself over the wall. "Chaotzu! Paralyze Tenshinhan and Son Gokū!" He shouted. Chaotzu stammered in fear at his master's sudden fury. "CHAOTZU!"

"I… I can't do that to Tien!" Chaotzu stammered out. "He's my friend, and I want to see him win this tournament."

"You impertinent child…" Tsuru-Sennin snarled as he gripped Chaotzu by the collar. "You dare disobey me?! I'll kill you first then!"

"CHAOTZU!" Tenshinhan screamed in fear for his friend, as the Tsuru-Sennin was about to strike down the boy in cold blood. His attack never hit home, as he began to gurgle and drowsily slump over. From behind, Gokū removed his hands from the sides of the elder's neck as he fell unconscious.

"For a guy who trains assassins, you really should've seen that one coming!~" Gokū jeered with a grin. He then offered a hand to Chaotzu to help him to his feet. "Sorry about that, buddy."

"I-It's fine," Chaotzu stammered as he recomposed himself, taking Gokū's hand and now propped back up on his feet. "Thanks, and sorry for causing you to lose..."

"No hard feelings," Gokū sighed as he vaulted over the spectator wing barrier, grinning at the doll-like boy. "I can't hold that against you, given how crazy your master was."

"Uh, A-Are you saying that Contestant Chi-Chi won with outside help?" The announcer stammered, almost appalled at the idea. "In that case, Contestant Chi-Chi is disqualified and Contestant Son Gokū moves onto the finals!"

"Hold up!" Gokū interrupted, one hand raised in the air. "I wanna ask Tenshinhan something first."

The announcer relented and Tenshinhan gave Gokū his full attention before he began to speak. "Who do you want to fight right now?" The Saiyan teenager asked, earning a mildly surprised look from the three-eyed warrior. Tenshinhan pondered this for a moment before formulating his answer.

"Chi-Chi," Tenshinhan sighed, to which Gokū nodded. "I don't doubt the capabilities of you or your friend, but she chose the most underhanded of strategies to bring you two down, and I don't plan to let that go so easily. Besides…"

Tenshinhan noticed Gyūmaō in the waiting wings and nodded. "I've been training with her for 3 years, so I feel like I can get through to her the best."

"Alright then," Gokū nodded before turning to face the announcer. "I'll take the loss! Tenshinhan will be fighting Chi-Chi next round!"

"Are you sure?" The announcer inquired, dumbfounded that Gokū would take a loss where his opponent was cheating. "There's no turning back once we proceed with this."

Chi-Chi, meanwhile, was absolutely stupefied. There he goes, giving her another chance to fight, despite how callously she stomped on the rules. Just like Caulifla did when she visited Mount Paozu 3 years ago. A new feeling began to ache within her very core. It was not betrayal or grief, or even jealousy. And it certainly was not Chaotzu's psychic paralysis at work. This feeling was one she had never felt before in her entire life.

It was pride. And it was wounded.

"I'm taking the loss!" Chi-Chi shouted, surprising everyone present. "You two can kick each other's teeth out for all I care, but mark my words, I will be back, and I will have the strength to finish you two off, fairly! I'll grow my own tail if I have to!"

Gokū and Caulifla especially flinched at that last sentence. Grow her own tail? That's beyond impossible for her because she's not a Saiyan. Despite the boast, they both gave a determined smirk at the mountain princess and nodded.

"I'm game for evening out the score next time," Caulifla responded before shrugging her shoulders. "Though I don't think you'd be able to grow your own tail.~"

"And why not?!" Chi-Chi snapped. "You two are human like the rest of us!"

Caulifla gave a slight flinch and turned to Gokū, who gave a shrug of his shoulders, to which she shrugged in response before leaning towards Chi-Chi for a whisper. "Actually, we're not,~" The Saiyan girl retorted with a smirk.

"Y-Your not?" Chi-Chi repeated in a hushed tone, almost stupefied that this girl suggested such a thing. "Then what are you?!"

"Not human, if you know what I'm… _Saiyan_,~" Caulifla cheekily answered, knowing she was pissing off Chi-Chi. "In all seriousness, it's a pretty big secret, and it's not one we plan to share at the drop of a hat."

Chi-Chi was left absolutely speechless before turning her welling fury towards Gokū, who immediately held up his hands defensively. "Hey, don't look at me!" he said quickly. "We didn't figure it out until a few years ago!"

This entire time, Chi-Chi had been pining over a monkey boy who wasn't even human. If he wasn't human, then what was he? What was Caulifla? Curiosity began to well within the Frypan princess's mind as the question began to repeat incessantly within her brain.

"Fine," Chi-Chi sighed. "Keep your secrets, you thistle head. But I _will_ find out what you are, and I will finish what we started."

"If you can come up with a more creative, and perhaps more accurate, insult than 'Thistle Head' for starters, that'd be great,~" Caulifla suggested with a smirk. Chi-Chi harrumphed at Caulifla's words and began to fly off. Caulifla then frowned when she realized something. "Hey! We could always rematch now, if you're so eager to pulverize me!"

Chi-Chi was out of earshot when Caulifla called out to her, causing the Saiyan girl to pout with indignation. Once the Frypan princess was out of sight, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. Eventually the announcer recomposed himself and brought his microphone to his face, clearing his throat.

"Well, that was certainly an unexpected outcome, folks!" The announcer said through his microphone. "It looks like we will have Contestants Son Gokū and Tenshinhan in the Finals after all! We'll take a 30 minute recess-" The announcer paused and turned to Gokū "Um, do you plan to fight again right away?"

"It's fine," Gokū waved off. "It's not a full moon night like last time, plus I bet Tenshinhan would like to fight me at my best."

"I can attest to that," Tenshinhan confirmed with a nod.

"Okay then!" The announcer sighed. "As I said, a 30 minute recess before we proceed with the Grand Finals of the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budōkai!"

The crowd began to disperse once again to address various needs. Tenshinhan returned to the waiting wings, the Tsuru-Sennin slumped lazily over his shoulder, Chaotzu following close behind. Eventually, Gokū and Caulifla were the two that remained in the arena grounds.

"I get the feeling this'll come back to haunt us in the long run," Caulifla sighed.

"Wouldn't be the first time, right?" Gokū shrugged before sheepishly chuckling and scratching the back of his head. "Oh, and uh, sorry for not kicking her ass into next week."

"It's fine," Caulifla happily waved off. "She's still crazy, but I think we got at least something through to her in the end."

Caulifla's caring smile was soon replaced with star-filled excitement as she zoomed towards Gokū, holding his hands and practically bouncing. "But you gotta show me how to do that zappy fist technique at some point! That was awesome!"

"Okay, okay!" Gokū quickly agreed, enjoying Caulifla's giddy excitement regardless. "I'll show you the Denkiken and maybe the Bankoku Bikku Risho to boot. That move was the inspiration after all."

"Yay!" Caulifla cheered with child-like glee, excited her boyfriend will teach her this new electric technique. Gokū couldn't help but smile at Caulifla's excitement.

The two eventually returned to the waiting wings for the recess to pass. Tenshinhan and Chaotzu had their master slumped comically along one of the benches, while Muten Rōshi was resisting the urge to pull out a marker and draw on his face, all while Kuririn was having a small chat with one of the local monks. Eventually, Rōshi approached the two Crane Schoolers, marker discarded before he could get any ideas.

"So, what will you two be doing about him?" Rōshi inquired to the Crane Schoolers.

"I'm not sure," Tenshinhan shrugged. "That double neck chop Gokū gave him is likely to keep him out for a couple days, give or take. Suffice to say we're wanted on his list of vendettas now."

"Well, if you'd like, perhaps you could consider switching schools?"

"Abandoning my school isn't the same as joining yours, sir. Thank you for the offer though."

"Very well," Muten Rōshi nodded. "Should you change your mind, Kame House will welcome you."

Tenshinhan and Chaotzu nodded with smiles as Rōshi took his leave to sit on a different bench. Chaotzu was chipper than usual, thanks to not having to toady about for his master, while Tenshinhan felt a little bit lighter.

'_Maybe this won't be so bad after all.'_

* * *

_**30 minutes later**_

"Aaaaaalright Ladies and Gentlemen!" The announcer shouted with vigor, earning cheers from the crowd. "182 masters of combat have entered the Tenka'ichi Budōkai! Only 8 have proceeded for your viewing pleasure, and now only two warriors remain to fight in the grand finals! Contestant Son Gokū of the Turtle School, versus Contestant Tenshinhan!"

The two fighters in question stepped out onto the arena, Gokū offering a bow first, prompting Tenshinhan to do the same. The announcer continued. "This promises to be an exciting match-up, folks! Though Contestant Tenshinhan has forfeited his affiliation with the Crane School, he looks eager to take home the gold regardless! Contestant Son Gokū appears to seek to do the same, looking forward to what promises to be an epic showdown! Now it's time to find out who is truly the strongest under the heavens!"

Gokū and Tenshinhan settled into their respective fighting stances, the taiko drums in the background slowly ramping up in tempo.

"This match should prove to be quite the spectacle," Muten Rōshi said flatly as he watched from the waiting wings.

"I'm a bit jealous that he gets to fight," Caulifla said, smiling in spite of herself. "Still, _one_ of us had to be up there."

"Well, nothing to do but cheer Gokū on, right?" Kuririn suggested.

_GONG!_

"Begin!"

Gokū made the first move, charging in with his hand pulled back to deliver a chop, but Tenshinhan was quick to parry the attack. The three-eyed warrior retaliated with a swift kick, only for Gokū to vault himself over the aggressing leg. He quickly unraveled his tail from his waist and hooked it around Tenshinhan's ankle, surprising the now ex-Crane Schooler and delivering a swift uppercut punch to the jaw. Gokū finished the maneuver by pivoting his hips and tossing Tenshinhan away, wrapping his tail back around his waist. The triclops was quick to recover and shifted his momentum upwards to launch himself and gain some distance. Gokū shifted his chase to follow Tenshinhan's new trajectory, amplifying his ascent with his ki and outstretching a foot to kick at the airborne warrior. Tenshinhan grinned and pointed his finger at the incoming boy.

"DODONPA!"

Gokū had no time to alter course and took the blast head-on, sending him flying back down to the arena, crashing through the tiles. Tenshinhan soon landed and waited to see when Gokū would emerge. True enough, Gokū burst forth from the rubble, looking none the worse for wear and charged towards Tenshinhan with a focused glare on his face. Suddenly, that glare, along with the rest of Gokū vanished, all that could be heard was a quick tapping sound. Tenshinhan used all 3 of his eyes to lock onto his opponent, until-

"RIGHT HERE!"

Gokū reappeared where Tenshinhan struck and the teenager was batted aside. Eager to follow up, Tenshinhan drove his elbow into Gokū's gut and pinned him against the wall, followed up with several machine gun jabs. Tenshinhan soon let up on his assault and grabbed Gokū by the collar of his gi.

"I heard the Turble School has a technique built around Rock Paper Scissors," Tenshinhan commented as Gokū tried to recover from the assault he had to endure. He was then thrown up into the air while Tenshinhan grinned. "Well during my time with the Crane School, we played Volleyball!"

A goofy smile formed on Tenshinhan's face as he took a stance that looked like he was about to serve a volleyball. Tenshinhan saw Gokū was falling and leapt forward to deliver a swift punch to keep Gokū airborne, followed by a double palm thrust upward to send him higher up. Tenshinhan leapt up and delivered a swift downward right hook, spiking Gokū down to the ground. The Saiyan impacted the marble tiling, causing it to crack and break even further. Gokū laid there motionless for a few seconds until he hopped back to his feet. Suffice to say, everyone, Tenshinhan included, was surprised.

"Nice one!" Gokū applauded as he wiped a small trickle of blood from his busted lip. "You really packed some oomph into that one. Definitely a fun technique like the Janken."

"You really are a tough little guy, aren't you?" Tenshinhan complimented.

"I bet you're just as tough," Gokū complimented back with a challenging grin. "You could probably handle my full strength."

"Oh come on!" Tenshinhan snorted with a grin. You've been going all out already!"

"At Tournament level, sure," Gokū clarified, causing Tenshinhan to flinch ever so slightly before regaining composure. "But since you seem capable, I'll show you my serious level."

"H-Hold on!" Kuririn stammered. "You mean _now_ he's going all out?!"

"Yes he is," Caulifla confirmed with a proud smile. "Good luck trying to track the fight from here on out.~"

"Spare me this drivel!" Tenshinhan chuckled. "Alright, let's see this 'serious level' of strength."

"Alright, you asked for it," Gokū agreed with a smile before it faded into a focused expression.

Immediately, Gokū charged forward faster than anyone could register and delivered a quick right hook to the jaw of a stunned Tenshinhan, followed up by several machine gun punches to the gut, finished off with a kick that sent the three-eyed warrior flying. Gokū sped forth in pursuit, gliding right underneath Tenshinhan's back before quickly planting his hands on the ground and delivering a quick double kick right into the small of the taller fighter's back, sending him flying upwards. The Saiyan teenager soon quickly got to his feet and began priming another attack.

"Ka… Me… Ha… Me…" Gokū recited the incantation until he looked lost in thought, looking up at his target. He saw that Tenshinhan was beginning to spin in mid-air, looking as if he was trying to right himself. Gokū dropped the stance and cancelled his attack. "Nah. Gotta be frugal here."

Tenshinhan soon landed, clutching his stomach after the onslaught done to his abdomen as he pushed himself back to his feet.

"Felt that one, didn't ya?~" Gokū chuckled, seeing how fazed his opponent was. Gokū's smile fell to a confused look when Tenshinhan began to chuckle as he wiped the blood from his face. "Something funny?"

"Not funny, per se!" Tenshinhan answered, visibly shaking with excitement. "I'm just so happy right now! Excited even! I didn't think I'd be pushed this far for a challenge! I've never felt so alive! That'll make this victory all the sweeter!"

"Now that's the spirit I like to see!" Gokū applauded.

"He really is an idiot, isn't he?" Kuririn commented. "Why did he just cancel his Kamehameha?"

"He saw Tenshinhan was recovering quickly in the air," Caulifla answered. "And given that he can fly, odds would've been good that if Gokū fired, he would've missed and just wasted his ki."

"I'm just impressed he knew a word like 'frugal' and used it correctly," Rōshi added with a chuckle, earning chuckles from both Caulifla and Kuririn.

"What does 'frugal' mean?" Chaotzu asked, causing the three Turtle School representatives to comically fall backwards in exasperation.

Tenshinhan resumed their fight in a furious and impossibly fast exchange of limbs, bounding across the arena at speeds the average human eye could not follow. Eventually, Gokū began to encircle his opponent and split into multiple different forms, each displaying a different action, some looking like they're about to attack, others giving a mocking gesture with a silly face.

"Do you really think I'll fall for that technique after it failed before?!" Tenshinhan shouted, turning his attention skyward to see Gokū appear at the last fraction of a second, primed to strike. "You're not getting the jump on me!"

Tenshinhan delivered a swift kick, only to have it go right through the boy, surprising the ex-Crane Schooler.

"Not fooled, eh?!" Gokū cried as he charged forward to deliver a right hook towards Tenshinhan, only for it to go right through his head and the fighter vanished, only to reappear right behind him and deliver a swift double chop, only for Gokū to once again fade from tangibility, and reappear to kick Tenshinhan in the back of the head, knocking him down to the ground. "Phew! One of us had to slip up in that little Zanzoken-off."

"Well let's keep this match going," Tenshinhan suggested with a smirk before splaying his hands to the sides of his head. Gokū immediately recognized the technique and readied to pull out his sunglasses. Tensinhan's smirk faded as he relaxed and dropped the stance. "No, you already have a counter for that technique."

"Glad you realized it," Gokū nodded. "Besides, you'd be depriving the audience of a good showing as well. At least, the ones without sunglasses."

"True," Tenshinhan nodded. "But I doubt you'll be expecting this next maneuver. It will end this match."

Tenshinhan outstretched his arms and began to grunt from strain, leaving everyone confused. Eventually, his shoulder blades began to grow and bulge outward, until the odd growths formed into a completely new set of arms, causing everyone within a 200 meter radius to flinch with surprise.

"Holy crap!" Gokū exclaimed, seeing this freakish technique. "T-That's new!"

"C-Contestant Tenshinhan has sprouted two new arms from his back!" The announcer stammered in disbelief before chuckling. "I guess this puts a whole new meaning to fighting with your hands behind your back!"

"First, three eyes, now four arms?" Caulifla said in disbelief. "What next? Five ears and six legs?!"

Tenshinhan charged forward, all four of his upper limbs primed to attack. He brought his normal arms in for a double chop towards Gokū, but the Saiyan blocked them both, but failed to counter the new arms as they brought down a sledgehammer maneuver atop Gokū's head, sending him to the floor. Gokū quickly bounced back to gain some distance, but the six-limbed warrior was in hot pursuit, unleashing all four arms in a merciless onslaught, his normal arms delivering punches while his grown arms delivered knife-hand jabs. Suffice to say, Gokū was on the backfoot and being pushed back until Tenshinhan grabbed all four of his limbs and held him aloft.

"Ha! Not a limb to stand on!" Tenshinhan boasted as he brought Gokū's abdomen down onto his bald head.

Gokū grinned as he focused his ki into his arms, causing Tenshinhan to feel an odd tingling sensation in his hands. The tingling soon turned to discomfort and soon electric pain as he was forced to let go of Gokū's arms. The boy followed up by unraveling his tail and smacking it into Tenshinhan's face, causing him to lose his grip entirely.

"Might wanna double-check before you say that!" Gokū grinned as he clutched his stomach. "Probably could've gotten away with just the tail, but I wanted to bring out the Denkiken…" Gokū's fists were then enveloped in an electric aura as if prompted by the technique's name. "...Just for good measure."

"Damnit…" Tenshinhan growled as he rubbed his nose.

"Now, let's see how good four regular arms are against two electrically charged ones!" Gokū announced. "Or should I say… Eight!"

Gokū's arms suddenly split into four, surprising Tenshinhan and the Turtle Schoolers in the waiting wings.

"H-How'd he do that?!" Kuririn stammered. "I didn't know he could grow arms like that!"

"It's 'cause he didn't," Caulifla corrected. "He's just moving them quickly enough so that it looks like that."

"Well, he's certainly having fun, I'll give him that," Rōshi nodded.

Gokū charged forward with eight illusionary arms, each charged with the Denkiken aura, now putting Tenshinhan on the back foot this time. The three-eyed warrior realized quickly that parrying and blocking was not an option, lest his movements suffer from the electric aura around Gokū's fists, so he did his best to dodge, only for Gokū to deliver a swift kick that sent him flying back. Gokū dissipated his technique as he waited for Tenshinhan to get back to his feet.

"I must admit, you're stronger than I gave you credit for, Son Gokū," Tenshinhan applauded as he stood tall. "I never thought I'd be pushed this far in a fight."

Tenshinhan's extra arms receded back into his shoulder blades, leaving him with two arms once more. "I'll give you this warning now. If you try and take this move, it will kill you. Make no mistake. Since I'm no longer here to kill you, dodge it! You hear me?!"

Gokū was left mildly confused at Tenshinhan's words while Muten Rōshi looked at the ex-Crane Schooler with shock.

"The Kikōhō!" Chaotzu cried out. "Tien! Don't do it!"

"Tenshinhan, are you mad?!" Rōshi shouted. "Don't throw away your life for the sake of a competition!"

"What's the Kikōhō?" Kuririn asked.

"A technique of enormous destructive force. Several times more powerful than the Kamehameha. It's also a double-edged sword. It is a technique that doesn't draw from one's latent ki, but from their very life force. Warriors have perished trying to use it, while survivors have had their lives shortened…"

"Don't do it, Tien!" Chaotzu cried out, fearing for his friend's life.

"Don't worry!" Tenshinhan dismissed. "I won't go full force. It wouldn't be a victory if I die in the process."

Tenshinhan turned his attention to Gokū as he began to fly into the air. "Just make sure to dodge it!"

"Gokū! Do as he says!" Rōshi cried out from the waiting wings. "This technique will kill you if you take it head on!"

Gokū did not move, believing Tenshinhan was bluffing. The three-eyed warrior sighed. "Alright! Prepare yourself!"

Immediately, Tenshinhan clasped his hands together, his index fingers laying flat against one another as he focused, growling from the sheer strain he was exhibiting. He pulled his hands apart as they began to glow before aligning them into a triangle shape, Gokū visible in the direct center of the hole between his thumbs and fingers.

'_Definitely not going to go full force if I want to live,'_ Tenshinhan thought. '_I have to save some in reserve…'_

"GET OUT OF THE WAY, GOKŪ!" Rōshi cried out.

_**"****_KIKŌHŌ_!"**_

The effects were immediate as a massive bright beam shot forth from Tenshinhan's being and smashed into the arena, creating a devastating shockwave that blew away some of the spectators, but fortunately not injuring them. Rock and debris went flying until once the light died down, all that remained of the arena was a massive square-shaped hole in the ground, going down for several meters. Tenshinhan was still airborne, but clearly out of breath from how taxing the technique was to perform.

"T-The arena!" The announcer stammered in absolute disbelief. "It's gone! This is beyond belief! The tournament arena has been blown away in an instant!"

"Where's Gokū?!" Kuririn hastily asked as he looked around. He saw Caulifla looking skyward with a focused glare on her face. "Your boyfriend just got blown to bits! W-Why aren't you freaking out?!"

"Why don't you take a look and quit jumping to conclusions, Kuririn?" Caulifla retorted, pointing up towards the sky.

"Above me!" Tenshinhan suddenly shouted as he pivoted his gaze upward. He ascended even further to discover Gokū just floating in the air, his gi looking much worse for wear, as well as taking a few scuffs from the blast. "Now _that's_ incredible! You jumped at the last second, didn't you?"

"Okay, I'll give it to ya!" Gokū sighed as he tried to catch his breath. "That would've killed me if I didn't get out of the way!"

Gokū grinned as he found an error in Tenshinhan's plan. "But, you were betting on me dodging so that I would lose by ring-out, right? I can fly too!"

"An oversight, sure," Tenshinhan nodded, grinning as well. "But you took some damage from the wake of the blast, so you're probably low on steam as well."

"Well in that case, let's finish this off with a bang," Gokū suggested, smirking. "Or should I say, a burst. I'm putting the last of my reserves into this next move!"

Gokū put his wrists together, ring and pinky fingers clench while his index and ring fingers were curled in a claw formation. "Kaaaa… Meee…"

"That move Caulifla used?!" Tenshinhan stammered. "I was worried for a moment, but that won't work on me! I'll just-"

"BĀSUTO!"

Tenshinhan was about to prepare a Taiyoken, until Gokū launched the technique in the complete opposite direction, using the pushback to launch himself towards his enemy. He then pulled his arms apart to detonate it at his feet, propelling him even further.

"What the-?!" was all Tenshinhan could get out as Gokū was shot forth like a cannonball and delivered a devastating headbutt to Tenshinhan's solar plexus and sending the two of them flying.

"Yeah!" Caulifla cheered, but her jovial exclamation soon faded when she realized something. "Oh crap… They're both in free-fall!"

"Contestant Son Gokū has used the explosive force of the Kamebasuto to propel himself and bodyslam his opponent!" The announcer cried out. "Tenshinhan is falling, but it appears Son Gokū is falling as well! Who's going to touch down first?!"

"C-Crap!" Gokū strained as he felt every muscle in his body seize up. "That was a bit overkill, and now I can't move!"

"I have to confirm this!" The announcer cried out as he pulled out a capsule and gave it a click. Emerging from the trademark 'POI' cloud was a black bikejet with wings and a shark face painted on the front. The announcer hopped aboard and took off, trying to find the two falling warriors. "Where are they… Ah! They're almost at the exact same altitude, except Contestant Son Gokū is at a slightly lower altitude!"

"Not.. If I… Can help it!" Gokū struggled to pull together a Kamehameha, not even bothering with the incantation, and launched one downwards, only it was far smaller than normal. It was still enough to give him some altitude.

"Contestant Son Gokū let out a small Kamehameha, and now has the edge in altitude!" The announcer cried out in his microphone, thankful that its bluetooth functionality could work at such a far distance from the arena.

"CRAPBASKETS!" Gokū screamed out as he saw a Matodog Corporation van drive right in front of his trajectory, causing him to impact the side of the vehicle and bounce onto the pavement first, Tenshinhan barely missing the vehicle and landing second.

"Oooooooh, What a terrible break for Contestant Son Gokū!" The announcer winced at the unfortunate turn of events. "A van drove into his path and caused him to touch the ground first! Contestant Tenshinhan has won! He is the Champion of the 22nd Tenka'ichi Budōkai! The strongest under the heavens!"

* * *

_**15 minutes later…**_

The Budōkai grounds have all but been cleared, the only ones remaining being the monks that work here, the finalists and their friends. Gokū was now clad in a new gi just like the one he had before it was torn up - Caulifla's suggestion to bring along spares. Tenshinhan was wearing his qipao and cap from before the tournament, and Yamcha, Bulma, Lunch, and Pu'ar had returned from the Papaya Island hospital, Yamcha now clad in a suit but being supported by crutches.

"No hard feelings, Triclops," Yamcha sighed as he hobbled over. "I'll admit, I _did_ tell you to break a leg."

"Even so, that stunt of mine was uncalled for," Tenshinhan bowed before turning his attention to Gokū. "I think you should take half of the prize money."

"Don't worry about it," Gokū dismissed with his trademark grin. "You won fair and square. Can't ask for more than that."

"I won by dumb luck because a van happened to drive into your path," Tenshinhan retorted. "If we're talking about raw strength, I come up short."

"To be fair, luck is a factor to one's strength," Rōshi added. "Besides, Gokū learned a lot from your fight, and I'm sure you've found spots where you could improve. That aside, how about we go out for dinner? Gokū I bet is famished after that one, and I bet you're feeling peckish yourself, Tenshinhan."

"Please, call me Tien," Tenshinhan requested. "Though if that's how you see it, at least let me pay for dinner."

"I've got a better idea," Caulifla spoke up. You enjoyed Gokū's cooking earlier, right? How about we prep a feast, free of charge? As for the fraction you want to share with Gokū-"

"Donate it to the temple grounds," Gokū finished, earning a nod from Caulifla. "They could use it to repair the arena. And uh, maybe offset the cost of what I did last time."

"That sounds like a good idea!" Chaotzu beamed at Gokū and Caulifla's suggestion.

"Oh shoot!" Gokū exclaimed. "I left my Nyoibō back in the gym!"

"I'll get it for you," Kuririn suggested with a smile. "It's the least I can do since you're tired."

"Thanks, buddy!" Gokū smiled as Kuririn walked off.

"So, what're you guys gonna do, now that your master is out cold?" Yamcha inquired.

"I'm open to letting him bunk with me!" Lunch exclaimed, earning several bemused looks shot her way, before she recoiled and blushed. "I-If he's alright with that, that is…"

"Well, if Miss Bulma's willing to permit, Capsule Corp has vacancies," Gebo suggested.

"I appreciate your generosities, but I can't accept just moving in with any of you at the drop of a hat," Tenshinhan dismissed. "Chaotzu and I will find somewhere to settle, but we'll try to keep in touch."

Lunch began to hastily scribble down her address, phone numbers, email addresses, as well as her usernames for various instant messaging apps and hand them to Tenshinhan before-

"AAAAAAARRRRGH!"

"What the-?!" Rōshi exclaimed, shocked by the sudden scream.

"That was Kuririn's voice!" Gokū and Caulifla exclaimed in unison.

Everyone rushed over to the temple gymnasium to find the source of the scream, only to be met with a horrific sight. The announcer was prone to the ground, visibly trembling from what he had witnessed, while Kuririn lay motionless on the floor, his eyes widened with shock and a small trail of blood leaking from his mouth. The most disturbing part was how his neck was turned at an unnatural angle. Everyone stifled a gasp in shock at what they were seeing.

"KURIRIN!"

Gokū raced over to his down friend and checked for a pulse. The Saiyan teenager's blood ran cold, as his friend had none. Caulifla raced over to Gokū's side, trying to find some way to comfort him, despite how distraught she herself was at this point.

"What happened here?!" Gokū shouted towards the announcer, who had regained his composure somewhat from what he had witnessed.

"T-This… Thing, this Monster got the jump on Mr. Kuririn! He fought desperately, but…" The announcer could not finish as he saw Kuririn's lifeless body. "It then took the Tournament roster and fled…"

"A monster took the tournament roster…" Rōshi repeated, not believing what he had heard. '_It better not be what I think it is…'_

Gokū was beyond livid at this point. Tears began to well in his eyes and he began to snarl with unforeseen fury. His irises, once black as onyx, soon gleamed a bright yellow, something Caulifla took notice of and flinched in surprise.

"I'm going to kill it…" Gokū growled as he picked up his Nyoibō from the ground. "_**I'M GOING TO KILL THAT BASTARD!"**_

Gokū let out a primal roar that generated a massive torrent of wind from his being, all while his muscle mass began to expand slightly and his hair, wild enough as it is, began to grow even wilder and turn upward like a black flame. To complete the sudden transformation, an orange aura lightly enveloped Gokū, scaring everyone present.

"Which way did it go?!" Gokū demanded from the announcer. Getting no response infuriated Gokū further. "ANSWER ME!"

"I-It went North-east!" The announcer stammered. That was all Gokū needed to hear, as he raced outside.

Gokū! Wait!" Rōshi pleaded, but Gokū had summoned Kinto'un. "Gokū Stop! That's an order!"

"Gokū! Hold up! You can't-!" Caulifla raced after her boyfriend grabbing him by the shoulder, causing Gokū to turn back and glare dangerously at the Saiyan girl, making her freeze with shock. Gokū shrugged her grip off his shoulder and jumped aboard Kinto'un and sped off. "Son Gokū! get back here! Gokū! Kakarrot!"

By the time Caulifla used his real name, he was long gone, the contrail of Kinto'un fading away in the distance. Caulifla slumped to her knees and punched the ground in frustration, causing a small crater to form from the impact. "DAMNIT!"

Caulifla wallowed in despair for a few minutes while Muten Rōshi stared up at where Kinto'un vanished with visible frustration. "The fool…!" Rōshi growled. "This monster was able to kill Kuririn, and Gokū just came off the toughest fight of his life!"

"Hold up," Gebo called out, noticing a stray piece of paper. "This doesn't look like a page from any roster or dossier."

"What is it, Gebo?" Checka inquired, looking at the paper for herself. "The character 'Ma?' That translates to 'Demon,' or 'Sorcery,' right?"

"Give me that!" Rōshi demanded as he snatched the paper from Gebo's hands. What he saw made his blood turn to ice and cold sweats to roll down his face. "No… It can't be…"

"What is it?" Bulma asked with trepidation.

"You've seen this before?" Yamcha inquired, freaked out by his master's usual demeanor turn to a look of pure fear.

"This… This is the seal… of Piccolo Daimao: The Great Demon King…!"

* * *

Kikōhō - Tri-Beam

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, A week later than planned, but on the flipside, this chapter is long! Chi-Chi being a conniving little demon was something that seemed to fit, given how hell-bent she was in pulverizing the Saiyan couple. That said, they *did* manage to awaken in her a little concept called pride in the end, so be sure to look out for that one. Bird Brain be knocked out, and Tien be dropping the assassin schtick. And just so I address it, GOKU HAS AN ORIGINAL TECHNIQUE. I wanted to give him something original, since I gave Caulifla a Kamehameha spinoff. Also, props to the reviewers who figured out that I was bringing in Broly's wrath state. Hope this was a good, read, and do leave a review letting me know what you think. :)_


	33. Chapter 33: The Demon King

_**Papaya Island, Temple Grounds**_

Everyone was perplexed by Muten Rōshi's thousand meter stare as he held the paper in his hands, printed with the kanji '魔' and encircled with a red border with four points at each compass direction. The Kame-Sennin had shown fear before, but it was more in the moment and easily brushed off. This was something that haunted his dreams.

"What kind of name is 'Piccolo' for a Demon king?" Lunch asked, unfazed by Rōshi's shift in demeanor. "Does he host some evil band class or something?"

"Wait, I've actually heard that name before," Tenshinhan interjected, cradling Kuririn's lifeless body. "Legends said he was a master of demons that plunged the world into darkness and terror long ago. But I thought..."

"Correct," Rōshi sighed with a subtle nod. "The Terrible Piccolo should never have returned in our lifetime, or any lifetime for that matter. His name may seem light-hearted, but he was a cruel monster of unimaginable power. He conjured a brood of monsters from his own essence, transforming the world into a living Hell…"

Caulifla looked up from her stewing, piecing two and two together. "Muten Rōshi, you mentioned that when you thought Menra-Sensei perished, it was during the time of a terrible conflict," Caulifla recited. "That conflict was wrought by this Piccolo guy, wasn't it?"

"Again, correct," Rōshi nodded sullenly. "Centuries ago, back when I was young and in my prime, I was still no match for him, nor was Tsuru-Sennin. Not even our master, Lord Mutaito: The greatest martial artist of that age. He could not allow Piccolo to keep the world under his thumb, so he devised a great attack. It was called the Mafūba: The Demon Seal."

Rōshi paused for a moment to take a few steps forward and look skyward. "With this technique, he was able to trap Piccolo Daimaō and seal him behind a mystic talisman, locked by the container of his choosing, which happened to be an electric rice cooker."

"An electric… rice cooker?" Yamcha muttered, wondering how that was possible.

"The container of choice is irrelevant, as Lord Mutaito needed something quick and with a lid," Rōshi explained, earning an understanding nod from most of the group. "The technique… cost him his life, but he saved the world from an eternity of darkness… There's no way Piccolo could have returned. I buried it myself at the bottom of the ocean."

"D-Do you think, that Tsuru-Sennin might have-"

"No," Rōshi answered before Chaotzu could finish. "Tsuru-Sennin may be a heartless bastard, but he knows Piccolo's terror just as well as I do."

"So, this thing that killed Kuririn is one of Piccolo Daimaō's minions?" Yamcha summarized. "And now Gokū's run off to fight it?!"

"Damn it, Kakarrot," Caulifla muttered under her breath as she looked worryingly at the sky. "Please, don't die…"

"That name again," Checka spoke up, noticing Caulifla's choice in vernacular, causing the Saiyan girl to flinch. "Who is Kakarrot?"

"It's… It's a nickname we came up with a month after we parted from Uranai Baba's palace," Caulifla lied. The inverse was true, but she didn't have the heart to tell her friends the truth. "It's partly the reason for the choice in kanji on the back of his gi."

Bulma was snapped from her musings when a small vibrating motor went off in her coat pocket. "Hm? That's odd…" Bulma hummed as she pulled the Dragon Radar from her pocket. "The Dragon Radar's going off, saying that two Dragon Balls are heading north-east."

"The same direction Gokū went off in!" Caulifla added, putting two and two together.

"This monster found a Dragon Ball?!" Lunch exclaimed. "But how?! I triple-checked to make sure that the old RR's radar was thoroughly trashed!"

"It's… The Four Star and Six Star Dragon Balls!" Bulma announced as she examined her device. "This thing raided Mount Paozu!"

"Wait, I thought that radar just told you where one was located, not which ones they were," Yamcha added.

"I was able to isolate a special signal within each Dragon Ball's EM frequency," Bulma explained. "I figured this feature might be useful in case Gokū hunts for the Dragon Balls again."

"That doesn't explain how that monster found them though," Checka interjected.

"Or why it ran off with the Tournament roster," Gebo added, folding his arms and pondering for a minute before speaking up again. "Though, if I had to guess, it's to eliminate opposition."

"Of course!" Rōshi exclaimed, the epiphany hitting him like a truck. "Piccolo Daimaō fears the Mafūba, and will exterminate the world of martial arts to erase it from memory!"

"And with that roster, he'll be able to track them down easily…" Tenshinhan finished, realizing how grim the situation had become.

"Okay, so what we do know is that Piccolo Daimaō was released probably by some idiot," Bulma summarized. "And that they have Dragon Radar tech at their disposal. Who would be stupid enough or desperate enough to unleash a centuries… old… Hellspawn…"

Bulma trailed off as she figured out exactly who had unleashed Piccolo, and immediately put her face into her hand, groaning in exasperation. "Oh son of a bitch…"

* * *

_**Pilaf's Airship**_

Aboard the observation deck of the self-proclaimed Emperor's airship was a massive throne that looked as if it was made of bone, two horned skulls at the ends of the armrests and another placed at the top of the backrest. Sitting in this throne was a being that looked - and is - positively ancient, his skin tone a dark spinach green color, with patches of exposed beige muscle along his arms, ending in hands with four fingers, each digit tipped with a razor-sharp claw. The being's face showed no understanding of mercy, not a hair on his head, barring two free-flying antennae atop his forehead, and two large pointed ears. To complete the look, he was adorned in a simple purple robe and white cloak, the only discerning feature of his attire being the pointed '魔' on his torso.

This was Piccolo Daimaō.

"So, if you gather all seven, any wish shall be granted, eh?" The ancient demon summarized in a deep, raspy voice, followed by a small chuckle.

"I can only hope for your sake that this information holds value," A smaller creature standing to Piccolo's direct left squawked out. He possessed the face of a pterodactyl, but no wings.

Standing before the tall demon were Pilaf and his minions Mai and Shu, all of which looked positively nervous.

"Y-Yes, indeed, sir!" Pilaf nodded, doing his damndest to toady up to this ancient evil. "Now, forgive me if I am wrong, but is your wish going to be, world conquest?"

"Ha!" Piccolo bellowed out in amusement. "I do not need the power of some mystical marbles to achieve something as trivial as global conquest, you short-sighted fools! No, my wish is to be given the eternal youth of my prime, which will grant me the strength to lay claim to this world for eternity!"

"Y-Yes, very good M-My lord," Pilaf applauded, rubbing his hands together nervously. "A most sound desire. And um, speaking of claim to this world, *ahem.* W-We did work very hard to uncover the electric rice cooker you were imprisoned in, releasing you aboard our airship, and telling you of the Dragon Balls, and the martial artists of the Tenka'ichi Budōkai…"

"Your point?" The Daimaō inquired, his smile fading to a frown of annoyance, causing the Pilaf gang to collectively flinch with fear.

"Oooooh, nothing too major, but, if suits you, c-could you perhaps grant us half of the world...?" Pilaf requested, earning a cold glare from the ancient demon, forcing Pilaf to backpedal immediately and sweat bullets. "O-Of course if t-that's too much to ask for, we will gladly accept a third! A fourth, even!"

Piccolo remained silent for a few moments before resting his chin on his fist. "I'll think about it."

"O-Of course, sire!" Pilaf bowed, happy he got an answer. "I-I do hope we serve you well for our reward!"

Piccolo let out a tired sigh as he slumped back into his chair, glaring at the barnacle-encrusted rice cooker that contained him for so long.

"Martial artists…" Piccolo growled as he looked at the corroded object with hatred. "To dare seal me away in such a humiliating prison and a gutless technique…"

Piccolo's eyes widen as he let out a focused grunt. Immediately the ancient rice cooker spontaneously exploded, causing the Pilaf gang to flinch with fear, knowing that if they took one wrong step, that could be one of them.

"I will show these warriors true power…" Piccolo stated with a dangerous tone in his voice. "True power that will prove to be their undoing…"

"I-I can't wait, Sire," Pilaf reluctantly agreed, huddling with his own minions in fear.

'_It was folly in creating those trinkets, my dear counterpart,'_ Piccolo chuckled mentally. '_You sought to be rid of me and decided to bestow upon me these gifts for my return to this world. A most amusing twist of irony, if I do say so myself…'_

* * *

_**Open Air, Forest North-East of Papaya Island**_

Kinto'un darted forth at maximum speed, its pilot, Son Gokū, visibly fuming with rage.

"Where is it…?!" Gokū snarled as his yellow eyes traced the sky several times over, before noticing an odd silhouette in the distance. "YOU!"

The figure turned around, and was a humanoid creature with dark green scaly skin, pointed ears, and a dorsal fin atop its head, akin to a mohawk. The monster had no nose, and a very wide mouth, and was being held aloft by a pair of dragon-like wings protruding from its back. In one four-fingered hand was a tied stack of papers, and in the other, were two orange jewels with red stars floating within them.

"And who might you be?" The beast coyly asked with a devilish smirk.

Gokū immediately saw the papers and Dragon Balls in the creature's hands and grew even more furious, now seeing the face of Kuririn's killer.

"You bastard…" Gokū growled with unbridled rage. "**I WILL TEAR YOU LIMB FROM LIMB FOR KILLING KURIRIN **_**AND**_ **STEALING MY DRAGON BALL!"**

"So that's the name of the idiot who tried to fight back, eh?~" The demon chuckled. "So he died! That was the plan after all! Hehehehe…!"

"**SHUT UP!"** Gokū roared as he threw an enraged punch at the killer monster, who quickly flew overhead and delivered a merciless kick to Gokū's jaw, Kinto'un catching him just in time. Gokū was now panting as the yellow glint in his irises began to fade, as well as his muscle mass returning to normal.. "D-Damnit… I used up all of my strength back at the Budōkai…"

"Ha! Too bad for you!" The monster cackled. "So much for avenging your midget friend!"

"Piss off, you iguana!" Gokū spat, his irises flickering. "If I had my full strength, you'd be smeared across the ground!"

"Sticks and stones, kid,~" The monster grinned. "Speaking of which, how about I break your bones?!"

Immediately, the monster unhinged its jaw and let loose a massive beam of ki from its maw that impacted directly into Kinto'un, causing the cloud to dissipate. Gokū was now mortified at what had just happened.

"K-Kinto'un…!" Gokū stammered as the somersault cloud gifted to him by Muten Rōshi had been destroyed.

"Lights out, vermin!" The monster cheered as he appeared overhead Gokū and delivered a devastating right hook downwards, impacting the back of Gokū's neck and sending him careening towards the forest below. Confident that the brat would be dead, the demon grinned and began to fly away, humming to himself.

* * *

_**Papaya Island, Temple Grounds, Later that night**_

The entirety of the group had sullen looks on their faces. All of them periodically looking skyward in hopes that Gokū would return, but have been met with nothing. Caulifla even tried calling for Kinto'un to see if it would follow her command over Gokū's, but there was nothing. Muten Rōshi was the first to speak with a heavy sigh.

"It's been hours now…" Rōshi stated sullenly. "I fear he might not return. We should go."

"Damn it…!" Yamcha growled, furious at his handicapped state. "If only I wasn't so useless right now, I'd find a way to make that pickle what's-his-face pay!"

"Are you insane?!" Bulma snapped. "What chance do you have against him?! Do you really want to add yourself to the obituary?!"

"I'm on that roster they stole," Yamcha sighed, silencing Bulma's tirade. "You and Lunch are lucky to not have participated."

"It's not much of an advantage, Yamcha," Lunch interjected. "The element of surprise can only do so much if we lack the oomph for a good hit-and-run. You still have the leg up on us in terms of strength. Uh, no pun intended."

"It's fine," Yamcha dismissed, glancing down at the cast covering his leg.

"Muten Rōshi, sir," Tenshinhan spoke up, earning the Kame-Sennin's attention. "Do you know how to perform the Mafūba technique like Lord Mutaito did?"

"No one does," Rōshi answered with a shake of his head. "He never had time to pass it on before executing it…"

Tenshinhan bowed his head in understanding. The one technique that could end this terror was lost to the ages. Caulifla meanwhile was kneeling at the side of Kuririn's body, deep in thought. She dug her fingers into her gi pants as her emotions were beginning to take hold, but she had to remain strong. At the same time, she could not just sit around and leave Gokū to his fate. He went to her aid when she was in distress, and she had to do the same. That was when she formulated a plan and stood up.

"I'm going to go find Gokū," Caulifla announced flatly, earning surprised gasps from most of the group.

"Caulifla, consider what you're doing," Rōshi warned. "If that monster were to-"

"Gokū was at a disadvantage by just coming off a tournament!" Caulifla retorted back, not letting the hermit finish his sentence. "I've rested up since then, so I should be able to take on this demon!"

"And what of Piccolo himself?" Rōshi countered, not missing a beat.

"I just lost a best friend, I can't risk losing Gokū as well!" Caulifla snapped back. "I can't just sit around and hope for the best, Muten Rōshi! I'm going after him!"

Before Rōshi could retort, Caulifla leapt into the air and was flying under her own power, leaving the old hermit speechless. "She truly is a stubborn one," He sighed as he watched Caulifla vanish into the distance.

"Do you think she stands a chance against Kuririn's murderer?" Tenshinhan inquired.

"If she keeps her emotions in check, then perhaps," Rōshi answered to the best of his ability. "But given what's happened here today, I wouldn't bet on it…"

* * *

_**Pilaf's Airship**_

The ancient demon held the four star jewel between two fingers and marvelled at its luster. He rolled the Dragon Ball between his fingers, mesmerized at how the four stars kept facing the same orientation.

"Ah, most intriguing, Tambourine," Piccolo sighed with a delighted smile, earning a smile from the winged demon. "I can already sense the sleeping power within this bauble, as well as the other you have procured…"

"And it was right where these three said it would be," The monster now known as Tambourine bowed, earning hasty nods from the Pilaf gang, relieved that they did well. Tambourine then held out the stack of papers that was the Tenka'ichi Budōkai. "And here is the roster of each Tenka'ichi Budōkai entrant from the last 13 years. Fortunate that it was a short ways away from where those two globes were stored."

"Indeed," Piccolo nodded. "Paste the pages on the wall, so that I may see my targets before they die."

"Of course, father," Tambourine curtly nodded as he began to take the papers and apply them to the wall, using his own saliva to adhere them.

"L-Let us help!" Pilaf toadied, earning a shrug from Tambourine as he handed a portion of the documents to the Pilaf Gang and then pterodactyl attendant.

As Tambourine proceeded to paste the papers along the wall of the observation deck, a curious one caught his attention. A bald monk with no nose. The winged demon grinned and began to cackle as he crushed the paper in his hand.

"That little bug was a contestant?! Ha!" Tambourine cackled as he tossed the crumpled paper aside. "No need to put that one up. I already killed him before I got here."

Piccolo grinned as he was pleased his plans were underway before he even received the roster. Over by the Pilaf Gang, Mai was racing over to her blue superior with a shocked look on her face while pointing to the dossier in her hand.

"L-Lord Pilaf," Mai stammered out. "You gotta see this one…"

Pilaf gently took the paper to examine and flinched in surprise to see the face printed on the paper. That stupid grin, that stupid hair, it all made sense now!

"S-So this kid entered twice and was runner-up both times…" Pilaf summarized, reading the document with disbelief. "No wonder he's so strong."

"But not strong enough!" Tambourine cackled as he took the paper and crumpled it up. "That little gnat served himself on a silver platter after I killed the bald one. Knocked him off some stupid yellow cloud and sent him into the dirt."

"You continue to delight me with surprises, Tambourine," Piccolo chuckled. "If you were able to kill a two-time runner up with no effort, it would seem this age's competition is woefully lackluster."

The demon soon frowned as he got back to the matter at hand. "However, we shall carry on as planned. I cannot risk being imprisoned by the Mafūba. Not before I can regain my youth."

Piccolo turned his focus directly upon his spawn. "Tambourine! You will devote yourself to tracking down and killing every last martial artist on that roster."

"Gladly," The winged demon bowed with a murderous grin.

"What of the Dragon Balls, sir?" The pterodactyl imp inquired.

"Well the solution is simple," Piccolo sighed. "I will spawn another warrior to collect them."

"Oh dear," Pilaf gulped. "I don't think I can handle seeing that again…"

"My lord!" The pterodactyl cried out. "If you expend energy spawning a brood, your aging process will only hasten, and you would perish before you can bring the world under your heel!"

"Calm yourself, Piano," Piccolo dismissed. "I only need to hold on until I acquire those Dragon Balls. I can still use my powers several more times without impeding my own life."

The attendant now known as Piano bowed reluctantly while Piccolo held a four-fingered hand to his chin, pondering something.

"Hmm… A warrior to hunt the Dragon Balls…" Piccolo mused aloud before grinning. "Only fitting that it should take on the form of a dragon!"

The Daimaō soon began reciting an unusual incantation, tensing up as if in focus. The tenseness soon gave way to strain as his aged gullet began to swell, and slowly, Piccolo's jaw unhinged to let a massive egg spill forth, making the Pilaf gang feel sick in the process as well as petrified. The Demon King eventually spat out the egg, and his jaw locked back into place, taking deep gasps of air. The egg soon began to crack and splinter as the creature within broke free of its shell. True to Piccolo's suggestion, the creature was a large green dragon, though was far more rotund than the muscular physique of Tambourine. The beast stood on its legs and gave its father its full attention.

"Are you awake, child?" Piccolo inquired to his new spawn.

"I am, Father," The dragon demon nodded.

"Good. You shall be called Cymbal," Piccolo announced, earning a curt nod from the newly hatched beast. "Your mission will be to gather the remaining five Dragon Balls for me. Is that understood?"

"It shall be done," Cymbal nodded.

"You!" Piccolo shouted, pointing at Pilaf. "Where is the nearest Dragon Ball?"

"O-Oh of course!" Pilaf stammered, hastily bringing down the globe model from the ceiling, a red pinging indicated on one of the southern continents. "T-There appears to be one here, not far from where Tambourine retrieved the roster! T-That's good, yes?"

"It is," Cymbal grunted. "I'll begin my search right away, Father."

"Excellent," Piccolo grinned as Cymbal left the airship The Demon King then turned to his remaining servant. "You know your objective, Tambourine. Pick your favorite.~"

"Gladly," Tambourine grinned with a curt bow before looking at the pasted roster along the wall. "Now… where to start? Ah! This one looks interesting…"

Tambourine was looking at the dossier of Namu, memorizing his address and proceeding to leave the airship.

* * *

_**Kame House, The Next Day**_

"So, these Dragon Balls, once they're all gathered, can grant any wish?" Tenshinhan summarized as the group explained the mechanics of the relics in question.

"Any wish," Bulma nodded. "Including reviving the dead, but you only get one."

"If that's the case, we should wish for Piccolo Daimaō's destruction," Yamcha suggested, reclining on one of the sofas. "Probably our best bet in ending this nightmare."

"Uh, there's a problem with that idea, Yamcha," Pu'ar interrupted. "After a wish is made, the Dragon Balls turn to stone after a year. We'd have to wait that long to revive Kuririn."

"And he'd probably be nothing but a skeleton by then!" Oolong stammered, now picturing a reanimated skeleton hanging around with him.

"Cool your bacon, Oolong," Bulma dismissed, Oolong frowning at the remark. "I'll put together a freezer capsule to preserve him."

"Even so, this 'Demon King' has two of seven already in his possession," Gebo countered. "The best we could do is keep them out of his reach."

"Gebo's right," Bulma added, clicking the Dragon Radar. "There Four Star and Six Star balls are gathered and on the move. At least we know which ones to avoid for now."

"Uh, guys?" Lunch said, earning everyone's attention. "You might wanna see what's on TV…"

Everyone huddled around the screen to be greeted with a sight that shocked everyone present.

"-As police investigate the murder of the martial artist," The news anchor said off-screen, a picture of Namu up-front. "According to Namu's family and the villagers who witnessed the incident, the perpetrator was some sort of monster who has since fled the scene, leaving behind a piece of paper with the kanji '魔' printed on it, and surrounded by a red ring with four points. The creature's motives remain unknown, but we will provide further updates as we-"

Muten Rōshi turned off the TV with a grim expression on his face. "It's starting…"

"We gotta warn everyone on that roster!" Yamcha exclaimed.

"We can't," Rōshi countered. "The contents of it were classified, with no copies to be accounted for."

"So we can't track 'em down and warn 'em…" Lunch summarized with a grim look.

"And if we were to ask the media to put out a warning, it would only cause panic," Tenshinhan added.

"We should move, regardless," Gebo added. "Of the addresses we do know, Kame House is one of them. The least we can do is keep the remaining Dragon Balls out of Piccolo's grip. I say we split up into teams of two. That'll expedite our search and keep the Dragon Balls separate."

"Good call, lad," Rōshi nodded. "But do we have enough transports for such an endeavour?"

Gebo smirked as he stepped outside, confusing everyone except for Checka and Lunch. Suddenly, a loud 'POI' was heard outside, and the ocean displaced itself onto land, hitting the side of the house. Everyone raced outside to see what had just happened, only to be left absolutely speechless.

"Is that an aircraft carrier?!" Lunch squealed at the sight of the massive ship. "Where in Sam Hell did you get that?!"

"I might've… 'borrowed' it from the Red Ribbon's vault before Gokū and Caulifla tore it down,~" Gebo answered with a smirk. "With some help from Miss Bulma and Dr. Briefs, I've been refurbishing it in case contingencies demanded its use. Also…"

Gebo pulled out a remote and pressed a button on it. Suddenly, the carrier's engines whirred to life, but they were not the sort of engines anyone had expected. Slowly, six massive rotor engines crawled up the sides of the vessel and began to spin and deliver upward thrust, forcing the seaborn ship into the air. As if that was not enough, once the underside was completely free of the ocean, it opened up to let loose a massive rigid balloon to serve as ballast. Everyone was amazed by the mechanical marvel, while Lunch was practically hypnotized by how awesome it was.

"Where have you been all my life?!" Lunch exclaimed at Gebo, causing him to look at the green-haired woman with confusion.

"Alright, pick your teams and pick an aircraft," Rōshi ordered. "Bulma, do you have spare radars on hand?"

"No, but I integrated a large-scale one into the…" Bulma hesitated with an annoyed sigh. "_CC Blue Bloomers_… so that you can use its signal to search."

"That's… the name of the ship?" Yamcha asked, wondering why Bulma would name it that.

"It wasn't my idea, okay?!" Bulma snapped, causing Yamcha to recoil back. "My dad got naming rights by vote and now I have to live with it!"

"Alright, naming conventions aside, we should get moving," Tenshinhan suggested, earning a nod from everyone.

"He-Wait! Why do I have to tag along?!" Oolong squealed - pun intended - in panic.

"Because A, that ship needs a crew, B, Piccolo will make the world a living Hell for everyone, including you, and C, I'll kick your ass if you don't help!" Bulma answered, causing the shapeshifting pig to nod obediently.

"Alright, let's go!" Rōshi ordered as Gebo supplied a ferry craft to deliver them to the airborne fortress. Everyone had their doubts, but their confidence was renewed somewhat with Gebo's pet project being unleashed. Rōshi's thoughts began to wander to Gokū and Caulifla, hoping for the best, but planning for the worst.

'_I hope those two will be okay…'_

* * *

_**Unknown Forest**_

Lying in a small clearing was the still body of Son Gokū. slowly, Gokū's body stopped being still and began to stir. Shakily, he pushed himself up and tried to take in his surroundings.

"Whuh… where am I?" Gokū drearily asked aloud, before he remembered what happened. "Oh right… That monster knocked me out… Man, I think I know what Caulifla meant by the Oozaru's rage..."

Gokū flinched at the realization of what had happened. During his emotional episode, Caulifla pleaded for him to not go and chase the monster that killed Kuririn, but Gokū, as he was, was going to have none of it, and scared Caulifla in the process.

"Damnit…" Gokū groaned as he leaned his head back to look up skyward. "She's gonna kill me when she sees me again…"

Suddenly, a fresh sensation assaulted him. It was in his nose, and it smelt oh so savory. Gokū knew exactly what it was and let out a drooling smile.

"FOOD!"

Gokū sprang to his feet and began running towards the source of the smoky scent. Eventually he reached the edge of the forest and was greeted by a most wondrous of sights: A massive fish skewered over a palm tree, roasted over a crackling fire. The culinarily-apt Saiyan could tell not much work went into seasoning or prepping the fish, but his stomach was in control over his taste buds, and with excited glee, Gokū attacked the fish like a piranha, devouring it with reckless abandon until only the skeleton remained, and Gokū was laying on the ground, his stomach delightfully satisfied.

"Ah, that was good!" Gokū sighed as he patted his stomach. Gokū then hopped to his feet and punched a nearby boulder to gauge how much of his strength had returned after such a hearty meal. Suffice to say, the megalith was pulverized, and Gokū smiled, eager to fight. "Yeah! Now that flying iguana monster doesn't stand a chance!"

Gokū's smile then faded when he realized that the same monster had destroyed Kinto'un. But wait: The elder of Jingle Village said that it wasn't possible to destroy a Kinto'un. This memory gave hope that Gokū's gift from Muten Rōshi was still around.

"KINTO'UN!"

Gokū's voice echoed into the heavens, but nothing came. Gokū's frown returned as his fears for his cloud came to light.

"Crap…" Gokū slumped. "If only I had known that thing took the Dragon Balls, I'd've asked Bulma for the radar. ...Bulma! She's probably gone back to Kame House!"

Before Gokū could take flight to head to Muten Rōshi's secluded home in the ocean, a noise caught his attention. He turned to face it and saw a massive boulder was careening toward him. The Saiyan let out a yelp and leapt above the incoming stone, crumbling into the earth. Gokū then landed on a nearby cliff-edge and surveyed the scene, not happy he was accosted.

"Alright, who threw that?!" Gokū demanded. "If it was that iguana monster, I'll have your head you creep! Come on out!"

"Who're you callin' a creep?!" A voice answered. It didn't belong to the monster. In fact, it almost sounded like Kuririn's voice, though it was more coarse and less nasally, as well as much deeper. Stepping from the forest was a large rotund man in a basic striped robe gi and katana fastened to his obi. His hair was very scraggly and his face was in a resting frown. "You're the creep! You ate my fish!"

* * *

**A/N:** _Hookay! 'Nother chapter, Gok_ū_ get's smacked down by Tambourine, Piccolo is here to torment the Pilaf Gang, Caulifla goes after her boyfriend, and Gebo has a Helicarrier, because why not? :P While Gok_ū_ was in rage state, I wanted to make his vocabulary far more harsh than it is normally, because he's clearly pissed. And for those connecting the orange aura to the false Super Saiyan form from the Slug movie, that's not my take. I actually took inspiration from a fan art by CELL-MAN, where he drew a hypothetical Wrath State Gok_ū_ with an orange aura. Go check out his work if you feel inclined. Also, I know I said it several chapters back, but I never really committed to it, but I'm gonna try and push my update schedule to 2 weeks instead of 1. I guess it's that weird recess of my brain setting up expectations for myself and didn't want to lower the bar, but burn-out is bad, so I gotta try and stay level-headed. Hope this was a fun read. :)  
_


	34. Chapter 34: A Percussive Outing

_**High in the Sky**_

Flying across the sky at a modest pace was Caulifla, as she was desperately scanning the earth below her for any signs of Gokū, while periodically checking the horizon in case he decided to go airborne. The sun had since come up since she had left Papaya Island, and while she feared the worst, she hoped for the best. She was not going to allow some demon kill someone she cared so much for.

All while searching, she kept thinking back to Gokū's episode when he had discovered the scene of Kuririn's murder. When the boy glared at her at that moment, it looked like he became something else. The furious anger in his expression, the abnormal increase in his muscle mass, the faint orange glow around his entire being, and those piercing yellow eyes, when his irises were typically black as onyx.

'_What could that be…?'_ Caulifla asked mentally. '_Could it be what I experienced when fighting Chi-Chi?'_

The Saiyan girl filed these questions away for later, and would bring them up to Gokū when she got the chance.

_If_ she got the chance. She still had to find him. Letting out a sigh, she refocused her attention to tracking down Gokū.

* * *

_**CCS Blue Bloomers, Bridge**_

"That's uh… That's a lot of robots."

Yamcha gasped in awe at the autonomous crew operating the retrofitted flying carrier. Running around to and from various computer terminals were several rudimentary robots filling out their pre-programmed tasks.

"I figured having an automated crew might make things easier," Bulma added, proud of her handiwork. "With Dr. Checka's help, I was able to give them each a rudimentary neural net that'll allow them to assess issues with the ship and address them accordingly, amongst other things."

"You said you needed a crew, you lying-"

THWACK!

"And while an autonomous crew is all fine and good, I didn't have time to set up a communications droid," Bulma clarified after interrupting Oolong's impending tirade with a harsh left hook to the back of his head.

Gebo pressed a button on one of the central terminals and a large screen was brought down from the ceiling, displaying a map of the world, along with 7 distinct pings, two of which were very close to each other.

"The two Dragon Balls clustered here we can safely assume are in Piccolo's custody," Gebo surmised, pointing at the respective pings. "I suggest splitting up into 4 teams of 2 to expedite our search."

"Sounds like a good call," Lunch nodded in agreement. "And if we run into the freak that killed Kuririn, barring Tien, we'd be better off booking it."

"Chaotzu and I will come as soon as we can if you run into said demon," Tenshinhan nodded along while Chaotzu pumped his fists with determination. "After we secure a Dragon Ball, then what?"

"I say we keep them separate," Lunch suggested. "Whatever wish Piccolo is after, if we can keep his mitts off the Dragon Balls after we get 'em, he won't be getting it."

"That still leaves the martial artists on the tournament roster," Yamcha countered. "And with no way to find them and warn them, they'll be wiped out, and who knows what'll happen once he runs through the whole thing."

"As much as I hate to admit it," Rōshi sighed as he observed the horizon from the bridge. "We should gather them all in one spot and lure him. Powerful as he may be, I suspect his power has waned during his imprisonment. All of us together may have a chance at bringing him down."

"And having an armed-to-the-teeth airship on hand never hurt," Gebo added with a shrug, eliciting a small smile from the Turtle Hermit. "I'll select a rendezvous for us to gather and hide them. I think the Break Wastelands will do."

"Good," Rōshi nodded. "That's far away from any known settlements. Let's get moving."

* * *

_**Unknown Location**_

Gokū stood atop a cliffside with a mildly sheepish look as the man below glared at him with annoyance.

"That was your fish?" Gokū sheepishly asked, scratching the back of his head.

"Of course that was my fish, you dumbass!" The rotund man snapped back. "That was my breakfast!"

Gokū hopped down from his perch atop the cliff to get a better look at this stranger. His voice seemed familiar, but that's all there was to him. Around his neck was an orange sphere. Gokū was about to snap until he noticed that it only had one star, not four or six.

"Sorry about that," Gokū chuckled nervously. "Uh, you didn't happen to see this iguana-looking monster with wings fly by, did you?"

"I ain't tellin you nothin'!" The man harrumphed. "You ate my fish!"

"I'll prep something in return if you'd like," Gokū suggested with a shrug. "I might not look it, but I make a mean tempura."

"I don't want some shrimp cooking for me!" The man snapped back. "I just want my fish, and you ate it!"

"Okay I'm not in the mood for this!" Gokū shouted, now annoyed with this picky eater before him. "My best friend was killed by a flying iguana monster and I've got no time to be arguing food with some hairy sumo wrestler!"

"Why you…!" Yajirobe charged forward, now genuinely pissed at the insult thrown his way. Gokū, now knowing he was in for a fight, charged as well, the two meeting in the middle as their forearms collided, creating a deafening crack. The two broke apart and exchanged a fierce volley of attacks. The man's attacks were sloppy but effective, while Gokū's were more refined. Eventually The large man delivered a swift headbutt to Gokū's forehead that sent him on his back. The Saiyan teenager then leapt to his feet and launched himself into a headbutt of his own, causing the man to reel back, only to show it was a bluff and delivered a quick kick. Gokū easily dodged the maneuver and delivered a heavy sucker punch to the man's pudgy face, upsetting his balance, finishing off with a heavy spin kick that sent the fat man flying into the cliff. Moments passed when the man dug himself out of the rubble and brushed off the dust from his robe gi, looking none the worse for wear, barring a few scuffs on his skin. Both Gokū and the man were thinking the exact same thing.

'_Who is this guy?'_

'_This shrimp hits hard and fast,'_ The man thought as he stared down his opponent. '_That kick's gonna leave me sore for a while.'_

'_His technique kinda sucks, but he's built like a tank,'_ Gokū pondered wanting to end this fight sooner rather than later. '_Maybe the Denkiken might be my best bet in knocking-'_

Before Gokū could finish his thought, something in the sky caught his eye. It was indiscernible at first, but as it drew closer, he could hear the flapping of wings. If it was the monster that murdered Kuririn, he was more than ready for Round 2. Gokū settled into an aggressive stance and wrapped his tail around his waist, confusing the man he was fighting.

"Why're you wrapping your tail?" The man asked, somewhat curious at this sudden shift in Gokū's demeanor. "Wait… Why _do_ you have a tail?"

Suddenly, a very loud thud shook the ground behind him, and he turned to see a large bipedal dragon looming over the two. Gokū relaxed his stance ever so slightly, but remained on edge. This was not the same monster, but he got a bad vibe from it.

"Alright, shrimps," Cymbal snarled, glaring at the two. "If you value your lives, you will speak honestly. I'm looking for an orange glass sphere with stars floating inside. Tell me where they are."

"Who're you callin' a shrimp, you hippo with wings?!" The rotund man retorted, eliciting a snicker from Gokū he couldn't help but stifle. "You just waddle your fat ass here and start askin' questions like you're king of the world!"

Gokū, however, remained silent, stunned that this monster was after the Dragon Balls as well. Two flying monsters after the same relics cannot be coincidence.

"Is that…?" The monster muttered as it noticed the Dragon Ball hanging around the man's neck. "Well it is! Just what I was looking for. I'll be taking that now."

"And I'll be saying Piss off and find your own shiny ball!" The man retorted. "I found this 3 years ago! Finders Keepers, you fat lizard!"

"So that's how it's gonna be?" Cymbal chuckled as he cracked his reptilian knuckles. "Thought I'd try to be civil, but at least I get a hearty meal."

"If you're working with that iguana-faced murderer, then you'll be the main course!" Gokū added, squaring up before the giant dragon demon.

"Back off, Pee-wee," The heavy man dismissed. "You still owe me for that fish."

"I told you I'd make something to make up for it!" Gokū retorted. "Besides, if this guy's in cahoots with the murderer I'm after, I'm taking him down!"

"Cry me a river!" The man retorted. "He's mine!"

"Okay, how about this?" Gokū sighed, holding up a fist. "We play Rock Paper Scissors for it!"

"You runts don't realize who you're dealing with, do you?" Cymbal chuckled mirthlessly. "I am a powerful servant to Piccolo Daimao!"

Over by Gokū and the mystery man, the two were locked in a vicious cycle of Rock Paper Scissors, completely ignoring the demon dragon. Eventually, the man won, while Gokū sat at the sidelines with an annoyed pout.

"Alright big guy," The man sighed, looking to end this beast. "You don't really look too tasty, but beggars can't be choosers."

"Says the guy complaining about a fish THAT I WAS WILLING TO PAY BACK!" Gokū called out, emphasizing the latter half to call out the man's hypocrisy, causing him to grumble.

"Heh," Cymbal chuckled. "You're gonna regret tangling with the mighty Cymbal."

"Mighty fat-ass!" The man jeered as he charged forward, delivering a swift punch which Cymbal deftly jumped over. Using this altitude to his advantage, Cymbal brought his massive tail down to smack the rotund man under the jaw and send him flying, followed up with a harsh jab to the nose, sending him bouncing and rolling away.

"Ha! Dead already?!" Cymbal bellowed with glee. "Here I thought I'd have to actually try!"

To the demon's surprise and Gokū's expectation, the man got back on his feet and lazily shrugged off the assault he was dealt.

"Sheesh, what is today?" The man sighed. "I mean, two guys that strong…"

"Tough little guy, aren't you?" Cymbal chuckled, amused that his temporary plaything has not broken yet.

"Yeah, No way in Hell I'm eating you raw," The man grumbled. Immediately he settled into a very fortified stance - suitable for one of his body type - and swiftly delivered an uppercut kick to Cymbal's jaw, staggering him backward. "Maybe I'll tenderize you before roastin' ya!"

"You… You just made the mistake of your life!" Cymbal shouted, splaying out his hand and aiming his palm at the rotund man. "You will now face the true horror of a spawn of Piccolo Daimao!"

Before the man could respond, an arc of lightning bolted from Cymbal's hand, forcing the man to leap back. Not satisfied with just one bolt, the demon dragon fired several rapid-fire bolts at the man, causing him to dance around the deadly zaps like a fat ballerina, eventually pushed back to Gokū's space.

"What the hell was that?!" The man said, trying to catch his breath. "What kind of dragon shoots lightning out of its hands?!"

"You want me to help?" Gokū offered, watching the man's predicament.

"As if!" The man dismissed, gripping the hilt of his katana. "I'm goin' from tenderizing to dicing now!"

Immediately, the man charged forward, katana still sheathed, as Cymbal was laughing, assuming he was being foolish.

"You still haven't learned, have you?!" Cymbal laughed as he began to deliver more volleys of lightning, the man now deftly dodging each bolt until he was right in front of the beast. With one swift motion of his arm, he drew his katana and cut right through Cymbal, severing him from the torso upwards at an angle, while also catching his left arm. "W… What?!"

Cymbal gurgled inhuman noises as his pieces fell to the earth, a purple blood flowing from the wounds. The man simply grinned as he sheathed his katana while Gokū looked impressed.

"Overgrown chump," The man harrumphed triumphantly as he began to prepare the meat for cooking.

* * *

_**Pilaf's Airship**_

"GAAAUGH!" Piccolo bellowed with pain before clutching his chest and catching his breath. "Pre… Preposterous!"

"W-What is it, Sire?" Piano inquired, concerned for his master's well-being.

"Cymbal... has been killed," The Demon King snarled, recomposed after the jolt that he had undergone. Piano, understandably, recoiled at this news, as well as the Pilaf Gang. "He was sent to gather the Dragon Ball at the location specified by these cretins. Whoever resides there must have done the deed…"

"But Sire, I thought none in this age could contest with us!" Piano stated, just as dumbfounded.

"Y-Yeah!" Pilaf spoke up, agreeing with Piccolo's subordinate. "T-There must be some sort of mistake, right?"

"Then perhaps you would care to explain to me now Cymbal got himself killed!" Piccolo shouted, causing the trio to quiver back in fear. The Daimao sighed and leaned back into his throne with a fierce sneer on his face. "I do not know who or what is responsible, but they will know the consequences of defying me… Time to call upon Tambourine. He will end this interloper swiftly..."

The Demon King then placed two fingers along his temple as he began to focus his thoughts to speak to his spawn telepathically.

* * *

_**Animal Village**_

On any given day, the millings about in this small village would be relatively peaceful, with the odd interruption from the neighboring Kaiju Giran to pick on the locals. Today was not that day, as the same bully was now fighting for his life against a winged terror. The beast man was highly bruised and battered and gasping for air, while Tambourine was smugly smirking, not phased one bit.

"Come on now!" Tambourine goaded with a chuckle. "Is this the best you got? I hoped someone in this age could pose _some_ challenge, but so far, I've been disappointed.~"

"We'll see how cocky you are once you stop moving!" Giran shouted back before grinning. Immediately his maw opened up and a stream of pink gum shot forth from his gullet and wrapped around the demon. Tambourine looked nonplussed while Giran was laughing. "Try breaking outta _that!"_

"And this is…?" Tambourine trailed off, smirking the entire time.

"Your death warrant, you freak!" Giran boasted, getting ready to charge forward.

Before the beast man could charge, Tambourine gave a quick flex and broke apart the ensnaring gum with ease. The demon spawn took note of Giran's shock and chuckled.

"If that was your last resort, then let's wrap things up,~" Tambourine announced as he pulled stray bits of the gum off his being. Faster than Giran could register, Tambourine extended a clawed hand and charged into the martial artist's side, running right through his portly gut and out the other side. Kaiju Giran then fell into a lifeless heap as Tambourine retracted his arm and licked it clean of his victim's blood. "Number 6, done and done. Now let's go for…"

The winged demon shuffled through the small stack of papers he brought for his journey and came across an interesting face: A girl, possibly no older than the brat he killed a short while ago with long spiky hair and black eyes.

"Might as well make a set,~" Tambourine chuckled as he memorized the address and took to the air, eager to continue his master's hunt, before-

"_Tambourine… Can you hear me?"_

A voice echoed within the demon's mind, one he recognized immediately and responded. "Oh, father!" Tambourine greeted psychically before grinning. "The hunt goes well. My 6th target is dead and I'm off to find my 7th."

"_Ah, that is excellent,"_ Piccolo applauded, hearing how swiftly his minion was operating. "_You operate swiftly, but I am contacting you for a more important matter. Your brother, Cymbal, has been killed."_

"What?!" Tambourine exclaimed aloud.

"_My sentiments exactly. I know he was killed at the location of one of the Dragon Balls. You will track down the impertinent fool who slew your brother, and end them. You may be much stronger than he was, but you must proceed with caution. WSC-2933 are the coordinates. Go now and kill this interloper!"_

"It shall be done!" Tambourine nodded, altering his course. The psychic link had been cut off as Tambourine now prioritized the one who had killed his brother.

* * *

_**Unknown Location, High in the Sky**_

"Where is he…?" Caulifla muttered with mounting concern as she continued to scan her surroundings. "Damnit! I should've borrowed the Dragon Radar before running off like that! Where are you, Gokū?"

Suddenly, a waft of culinary preparation assaulted the Saiyan girl's sinuses. It was definitely meat over a fire, that much she could tell, but there was something else. Something she recognized in it, and immediately brightened her mood.

"Pineapple!" Caulifla exclaimed as she altered her course and followed her nose to the source of the smell. Sure enough, there was a massive roast of what looked like a dragon, and down below were two figures. One she did not recognize, but the other was unmistakable. "GOKU!"

"Huh?" Gokū looked up towards the source of the new noise and immediately smiled once he saw the source. "Caulifla!"

Gokū immediately leapt into the air to meet his girlfriend half-way and the two collided into a big hug before floating back down to earth. Once their feet touched the ground, the two separated from their embrace.

"Are you alright?" Caulifla asked, a mild twinge of worry in her voice, but she was more glad to see Gokū alive and well.

"Yeah, I'm alright," Gokū nodded with a smile.

"Good."

SMACK!

Gokū's face was met with a harsh open palm, courtesy of Caulifla, as her cheerful demeanor shifted into one of hurt anger as tears began to well up within her eyes. "That's for worrying me sick, you dumbass!" She screamed as Gokū gently rubbed his face. He noticed Caulifla's irises shimmer yellow for a split second. "What were you thinking, charging off like that when you were running on fumes?!"

"I wasn't," Gokū answered lamely as he waited for Caulifla's tirade to calm down. "I snapped, and I just wanted to kill that monster for what he did. That same anger when we turn Oozaru, that's what drove me. I'm sorry."

Caulifla shifted from anger to curiosity just like that. The Oozaru's anger? Could that be linked to the unsettling transformation she saw back at the Budōkai?

"I need to know one thing," Caulifla stated, finally recomposed. "Before I lost to Chi-Chi during that match, what exactly happened to me?"

"Well, your muscles bulked up all of a sudden, your hair went wild - more than usual - and your eyes turned this eerie shade of yellow," Gokū answered honestly, Caulifla nodding along with the description. "Did… Did the same happen to me?"

"Exactly that," Caulifla answered, stunned at this development. "Do you think it has something to do with our moon training?"

"I'm not sure," Gokū shrugged.

"Uh, hello!" The picky man Gokū encountered earlier rudely called out, causing both Saiyan teenagers to frown. "Ain't ya gonna introduce your friend here?!"

"Right," Gokū sighed. "Caulifla, this is Yajirobe. Yajirobe, Caulifla."

"Yo," Caulifla greeted with a small bow.

"It's LORD Yajirobe, you shrimp!" The man now known as Yajirobe snapped.

"Lord of what?" Caulifla countered, placing her hands on her hips, awaiting a response.

"That's exactly what I said!" Gokū exclaimed, glad she agreed with him, causing the rotund Ronin to grumble with indignation. "Long story short, I woke up, ate his breakfast by mistake, this big dragon guy came looking for the Dragon Balls - probably in cahoots with the iguana monster - and Yajirobe here ate him."

"And you had to go and ruin the roast with damn pineapple!" Yajirobe snapped at Gokū.

"It was meant to go with the glaze!" Gokū retorted. "You liked it in the end!"

"Wait, this guy ate one of Piccolo's spawn?" Caulifla interrupted, earning confused looks from both Gokū and Yajirobe. "Oh right. I guess I should explain."

* * *

A good half hour had passed as Caulifla explained the situation to Gokū and Yajirobe, the latter no longer wearing the one star Dragon Ball around his neck, and also trembling at the fact that he just ate one of Piccolo Daimao's evil spawn.

"So Kuririn wasn't the iguana monster's only target," Gokū repeated sullenly, traces of anger and determination in his voice.

"That's what we figured out so far," Caulifla nodded. "I'm gonna call dibs on this fight if he comes back."

"Be my guest," Gokū agreed with a nod. "It's only fair since you missed out on two other fights back at the Budōkai."

"Yeeeeaaaah, I'm just gonna sit this one out!" Yajirobe protested, while Gokū and Caulifla shrugged.

"Hey, you already killed and ate that demon lizard," Gokū mentioned, gesturing a thumb to the skeletal remains of Cymbal. "You got your fight in."

"And it looks like my fight is coming in now," Caulifla announced as she saw a winged silhouette approach the clearing the three were standing in. Well, two, once Yajirobe scurried away to find a tree to hide behind. The Saiyan girl popped a capsule and drew out the scimitar she appropriated from Tao Pai Pai 3 years ago. She harshened her gaze as Tambourine finally came into view. "I'm not going to be forgiving in this fight…"

The winged demon touched down and faced off against the two Saiyans before them and was utterly shocked at what he was seeing. Not only was he facing the target he was going to go after next before being called upon by Piccolo, but the runt he thought he had killed was not only alive, but alive and well!

"You!" Tambourine exclaimed, pointing a clawed finger at Gokū. "I killed you! You should be dead!"

"You did a lousy job then," Gokū spat back, staring daggers at the monster that murdered Kuririn. "I'd kill you right now, but Caulifla here needs to blow off some steam."

Caulifla stepped forward and dug her scimitar into the earth, cracking her knuckles followed up by her neck. "I'm gonna make you regret meeting me…"

"Hahaha! You honestly expect to defeat the likes of me?!" Tambourine boasted with a raucous laugh. "You two might've taken down Cymbal, but it won't matter if there are two of you or twenty. You won't take down Tambourine." The demon pointed a thumb to his face and grinned.

"Alright, I've heard enough boasting," Caulifla irritably sighed as she pried her scimitar out of the dirt. She glanced back at Gokū, who gave a thumbs up before turning her attention back to Tambourine. "Whatever easy fight you had with Gokū yesterday was a fluke. He's now at full strength, and I'm at his level as well."

"Ha! You suicidal little fool!" Tambourine laughed. "I call your bluff! I can't wait to see this!"

'_This first blow will be for Kuririn…'_ Caulifla vowed mentally

Immediately, Caulifla charged forward, her scimitar slung behind her primed to swing. Tambourine was immediately caught off-guard by this sudden burst of speed, and was even more stupefied when she suddenly vanished and reappeared to his left, and then behind him, and then to his right.

"What-How-How are you doing this?!" Tambourine stammered as several zanzoken encircled him. Eventually the real Caulifla appeared behind him, her scimitar held up high and then brought down on the joints of his wings, severing them clean off. Tambourine, understandably, howled in agony as his wings were cut from his back. Not wanting to let up the onslaught, Caulifla delivered a devastating elbow jab to the demon spawn's jaw, followed up by several intense one-handed machine gun punches to the sternum, finished with a powerful haymaker that sent the now wingless terror flying. Caulifle kept up the pursuit and followed Tambourine's trajectory, rolling underneath him, and pulling her scimitar up to meet at the demon's shoulder, cutting it clean off with the force of his momentum alone. Tambourine howled even more as he finally landed on the ground in a heap.

"Remind me to never piss her off," Yajirobe muttered as he walked up to Gokū's side, seeing how handily she crushed this demon.

Caulifla, meanwhile, walked up to the downed form of Tambourine and scowled. "Get up!" she sternly demanded.

Tambourine struggled to his feet, clutching the bloody stump that was his shoulder, eventually opting to cauterize the wound with his own ki. He could not perform _that_ feat, at least not now, as it would expend too much of his stamina.

"You…!" Tambourine snarled as he sealed his wounds. "No human should be able to face a Demon Clan warrior so easily!"

"Well then here's a little secret," Caulifla responded lowly. "I'm not human…"

Tambourine flinched at this remark, almost refusing to believe what he had heard. This insignificant worm was not human?! No, he would not allow this to stand. Immediately, Tambourine unhinged his jaw and a massive beam of ki poured forth from his open maw, aimed directly at Caulifla. She was taken aback by this, but regained her composure. She held her scimitar up, and suddenly it began to glow. Once the blast was at the right distance, she brought her sword down and cut right through the offending attack, splitting it in two and sending it into a cliffside several meters away, where they exploded in spectacular fashion. When the dust cleared, Caulifla was unscathed and still glaring daggers at her foe, leaving Tambourine - the agent of Terror to Piccolo Daimaio - petrified with fear.

"What stunts do you have up your sleeves now?" Caulifla goaded, knowing full well that what she just countered was this demon's last resort.

Tambourine immediately began to panic and tried to fly away, but just remembered that his wings were cut off. Clumsily, he began to focus his ki and try to fly away through those means, but the Saiyan girl was going to have none of it. She jumped up and delivered three devastating slices to the fleeing demon, cutting off the rest of his limbs. Tambourine screamed and writhed in agony as this happened, losing his focus and falling to the earth like a giant evil pickle. He had no choice. He had to resort to that technique, or he would not survive, but Caulifla's scimitar shot right down towards the quadripolegic demon and like a guillotine, cut Tambourine's head clean off. The head made inhuman gurgling noises, clearly still alive after such a devastating blow. Caulifla landed before the decapitated Tambourine and primed her sword for one last strike. The head of the demon spawn saw Caulifla's eyes shimmer a dangerous yellow as she stared at what was left.

"This is for Kuririn, Kinto'un, and everyone else you've killed, you sick bastard…" Caulifla spat as she brought her scimitar down through the head's skull, ending Tambourine once and for all.

* * *

**A/N:** _Okay, wow. Newtonian physics are a bitch. I say I push my upload schedule to 2 weeks and it's been 3 since that update. I do apologize for that. In any case, new chapter, and everyone's least favorite Ronin (guess that depends on who you ask) is in the show now. Caulifla got to tear apart Tambourine cuz she got fewer fights during the tournament. Again, I'm sorry for the wait. Do leave a review letting me know how this chapter be, and I hope this was a good read. :)_


	35. Chapter 35: The Terror of Demons

_**Pilaf's Airship**_

"_**GRAAAAAUGH!"**_ Piccolo Daimao roared with pain as he held his head trying to subside the sudden ache. "I-Impossible!"

"Sire! What is it?!" Piano asked worryingly, seeing his father and master in sudden pain, until he came up with a hypothesis based on what happened a short while ago. "D-Don't tell me…"

"Tambourine is dead as well…" Piccolo snarled as he recomposed himself. "What kind of beast lives out there?!"

"Reeeeealy hoping we're not sent out in his place…" Pilaf whispered to his subordinates, clearly nervous at this development.

"I'm not eager to fight a monster…" Mai muttered with fear.

"You three!" Piccolo sternly snapped, pointing a finger at the Pilaf Gang. "Take this ship to the location where Cymbal and Tambourine were killed! I, Piccolo Daimao, will erase this foe from existence! _With extreme prejudice..!"_

"Yes sir! Right away, sir!" All three said in unison before Mai and Shu headed downstairs to the airship's cockpit. Pilaf was about to join then until he noticed something odd about the map he had set up. "K-King Piccolo, sir? I don't mean to alarm you, but it looks like the other Dragon Balls are moving… And they're converging!"

"Someone else is gathering the Dragon Balls, eh?" Piccolo sighed as he looked up at the spherical map above. "Very interesting…"

"W-What should we do?!" Pilaf stammered, worried half for his new boss's wish and half for his own skin. "I-If whoever's collecting them get's them all-"

"They won't get them all," Piccolo interrupted, holding the four star and six star jewels between his fingers. "I still have two within my custody, and judging by the patterns on your little map, I suspect they are trying to lure me out. Heh heh heh..."

Piccolo gave a sinister grin as he set down the two Dragon Balls in his clutch. "Let them carry on for now," The Daimao dismissed with a wave of his hand. "This works to my favor in two ways. This saves us the trouble of tracking them down ourselves, and we have a good chance of snuffing out further competition. But first, the one who killed Cymbal and Tambourine…"

"O-Of course, sir!" Pilaf groveled, mentally kicking himself for not thinking of such a strategy. Though in hindsight, he wasn't a centuries-old supremely powerful demon.

* * *

_**CCS Blue Bloomers, Bridge**_

Gebo stood at attention, observing the map screen before him. The two Dragon Ball pings suspected to be in Piccolo's custody are still on the move, and everyone has elected to avoid them for the time being. Four pings had been gathered by the four teams dispatched. That left the last ping, which Piccolo was heading towards, which was a sudden shift in course.

"It seems odd that Piccolo would go directly to the One Star Ball suddenly," Gebo thought aloud. He then went over to one of the communications terminals and put on a headset. "Dragon Teams, check in."

"This is Crane Team," Tenshinhan called out from over the headset, Chaotzu sitting in the copilot seat of their jet. "We have the Dragon Ball secured."

"Wolf Team here," Yamcha chimed in, accompanied by Pu'ar. "We have our Dragon Ball and are making our way back. This search is almost too easy compared to the last couple of times."

"Turtle Team present," Muten Rōshi announced over the intercom, Gyūmaō opting to go with his old teacher. "We got our Dragon Ball with minor trouble."

"Lavender Team checking in," Bulma checked in, Lunch accompanying her. "Dragon Ball's secured, and we're heading back to base now."

"Copy that," Gebo acknowledged. "I assume you guys heard about Giran?"

"I've been having the radio run this whole time," Yamcha nodded. "Guy wasn't much of a people person, but he didn't deserve that fate."

"No one does," Rōshi added over the radio. "Piccolo seems to be prioritizing the roster over the Dragon Balls at the moment."

"Priorities appear to have shifted, ladies and gentlemen," Gebo countered. "Piccolo appears to have altered course and is heading for the last unclaimed Dragon Ball."

"That's odd," Lunch piped up over the radio. "Piccolo has his minions to fetch the balls. Why go directly to one of them?"

"Maybe he's caught onto our plan?" Yamcha suggested with a shrug. "The guy's ancient, but probably not senile, if I had to guess."

"Or, Gokū and Caulifla made his goons cry for daddy," Lunch offered, trying to be optimistic. "I'm looking at the map now and the One Star Ball looks to be in the same direction they left for back at Papaya Island."

"I don't think even their combined might could stand up to Piccolo, unfortunately," Rōshi sighed sullenly. "For now, I believe our best approach would be to stagger Piccolo. We will take his Dragon Balls away and summon Shenlong for our wish: Destroy Piccolo Daimao."

"I don't like it," Tenshinhan commented, frowning at the idea. "To simply wish away such a foe feels too passive."

"I understand your feelings, Tenshinhan," Rōshi responded. "But this is beyond just us. Once Piccolo is rid of this world, the Dragon Balls can be regathered to revive those killed by his rampage in a year's time."

"Rōshi's right," Lunch agreed. "Going down fighting won't mean a thing if there's nothing left to stop this guy after."

"If only we knew the Mafuba…" Tenshinhan sighed, causing the Kame-Sennin to sputter.

"Don't even think of such suicidal actions!" Rōshi retorted. "If we try and fail, what next?! We don't know Gokū and Caulifla's status, so the Dragon Balls are our best bet!"

"Very well," Tenshinhan reluctantly sighed, picking up on the old hermit's choice of words. ''_If we try,' he said… I knew it. Muten Rōshi does know the Mafuba…'_

"Once we get the Dragon Balls to base, let's load them on a shuttle craft for the Break Wastelands," Bulma suggested, chiming in once again. "No use getting the carrier caught in the crossfire."

"Agreed," Gebo nodded. "Non-combatants should stay with the Blue Bloomers, in case we need to coordinate evacuation contingencies."

"I still hate that we called it that…" Bulma groaned with annoyance over the radio. "After we get the package on its way, I'm gonna take a small recon jet to where the One Star Ball is located after Piccolo grabs it."

"Bulma, you might not like what you find there," Rōshi warned.

"I know," The lavender-haired genius sighed. "But we need confirmation to see if they're okay. Those two are too stubborn to die. We all know that."

"Too stubborn, indeed…" Rōshi sighed, resuming his focus on returning to the carrier.

* * *

_**Yajirobe's Campsite**_

Gokū, Caulifla, and Yajirobe all sat around a large campfire stuffing their faces with bowls of ramen, although the term 'tub' might be more accurate, as the containers were almost as big as Cymbal before he was eaten. Eventually the three finished all the noodles and began to chug the gallons of remaining broth, until they all gave a very satisfied gasp, happy with their meal.

"Hooooo! That was the best Ramen I've ever had!" Yajirobe applauded the two Saiyans who simply grinned. "Sorry for doubting your food work earlier."

"It's fine," Gokū dismissed with a wave and then gesturing to the One Star Dragon Ball now slung around his neck. "And thanks for lending the Dragon Ball."

"Yeah, if that thing is gonna attract Piccolo, I don't want it," Yajirobe harrumphed, still terrified at the prospect of the ancient Demon King. The rotund Ronin noticed Caulifla's scimitar, still embedded into Tambourine's skull and was now curious. "Hey, not to bug, but where'd you get that sword?"

"Oh that?" Caulifla responded, wiping the remaining ramen broth from her face. "Gokū and I fought this assassin 3 years ago and I decided to take his sword as a souvenir. Gokū's got his Nyoibō, so why should I be left out?"

"Okay, but how'd you make it do that glowy thing when fighting Tambourine?" Yajirobe inquired further. "Is that thing magic?"

"Caulifla infused her own ki into the blade when she cut Tambourine's blast in two," Gokū answered before holding his chin with his hand. "It allowed her to reinforce it, otherwise it would've been destroyed if she tried. Now that I think about it, I wonder if I can use the same principle, but with the Denkiken."

"What's the-" Yajirobe began to speak until a large rotary engine was heard flying over the horizon. Overhead, a large airship hovered above the scene. The Ronin immediately feared the worst and jumped to his feet. "Uhhh, QuestionsForLater!GottaGoBye!"

While Yajirobe went off to hide, Gokū and Caulifla got themselves ready, staring at the airship hovering above them. The boy thought back to his girlfriend's explanation about Piccolo and what's been going on and felt compelled to ask.

"So you're certain Pilaf's the moron who unleashed him?" Gokū asked, knowing it wasn't the best time, but he wanted to get an answer.

"King Piccolo, sir! We've arrived at our destination." The amplified voice of Mai called from the airship.

"YOU IDIOT! THAT'S THE OUTSIDE LOUDSPEAKER!" A shrill voice scolded the first one, one that was unmistakable. "The one for the observation deck is right there!"

"O-Oh! Right! Sorry!"

"Pretty certain,~" Caulifla answered cheekily after hearing the screw-up with the airship's loudspeaker system. Her expression fell to a focused glare as she stared up at the airship hovering above them. "Time to see if we got what it takes to fight the big boss of demons."

"Right," Gokū nodded, settling into a fighting stance and wrapping his tail around his waist. "For Kuririn."

"For Kuririn," Caulifla agreed, settling into her stance, performing the same motion with her own tail.

* * *

Standing atop the top deck of the airship, Pilaf, Piano, and Piccolo all looked down at the ground to survey the surroundings. Pilaf was first to notice two dots that could be people.

"I do believe I see someone down there!" Pilaf called out, pulling out a pair of binoculars. "If it's the killer, I'll bring the airship down for-"

"Don't bother landing," Piccolo calmly ordered. "Describe them to me."

"O-Of course, sir!" Pilaf stammered as he peered through his binoculars. What he saw made his face turn blue - at least more blue than it already was. "Those two?! B-But… But I thought that…"

"Spit it out, already!" Piccolo demanded.

The order snapped Pilaf from his mental malfunction. "T-Those two kids are the ones who kept interfering with our Dragon Ball collecting!" Pilaf finally got a coherent sentence out. "They're puny, but they're strong! I can still feel the bruise on my face from last time…"

"So they're the ones responsible for killing Cymbal and Tambourine, eh?" Piccolo chuckled without mirth before scowling at his newest targets. The Daimao snarled with newfound fury at such an insulting notion. "Those two were an absolute disgrace to the Demon Clan! To be felled by two mere children?! Has my power decayed so much that my own spawn cannot eradicate two measly ants?! I will end them personally..."

The Daimao deftly hopped off the deck of the airship, slightly startling Pilaf in the process. He fell like a stone, standing ramrod stiff.

* * *

"Here he comes!" Gokū announced as he saw the demon fall to earth. The demon's descent began to slow until his shoes touched down lightly on the ground before him. Piccolo casually folded his arms behind his back as he examined his targets before Gokū spoke up again. "So you're the creator of that iguana monster that killed Kuririn…"

"And had him steal our Dragon Balls," Caulifla added, squaring up.

Piccolo Daimao merely chuckled, analyzing the form of the two before him. "It would seem you two possess some martial prowess, judging by your stances," Piccolo said as he gave a lopsided smirk. "Enough to defeat some of my finest warriors…"

"If they were your finest, then your standards are rather poor," Caulifla jeered, drawing her scimitar forth, prompting Gokū to draw out his Nyoibō. "I diced your iguana-faced pet into pieces."

"Hahahaha! You assume that my own spawn would be on par with me?!" Piccolo bellowed at Caulifla's taunt, annoying the two. "You truly do not know the depths of my power, do you? You couldn't hope to severely harm me. Very few have, and they never lived to tell the tale..."

"Enough with the history lesson!" Gokū stated as he and Caulifla charged forth, both of their weapons primed.

"They're fast!" Was all Piccolo could say before both of them delivered a collection of heavy kicks that knocked the demon off his feet. Gokū and Caulifla both charged again, eager to keep up the pressure, but Piccolo was also fast, reaching an arm out in an attempt to grab one of them and toss them aside, only for Gokū's tail to unravel from around his waist and hook itself around the demon's wrist. Gokū readjusted his momentum and launched a forceful jab at Piccolo with one end of his Nyoibō, only for the demon to respond with an open palm strike to the face. Caulifla followed up with a similar maneuver, except she brought her scimitar down in an attempt to cut the towering demon in two, but barely missed, lightly grazing the green demon's cheek. Caulifla was then forced back with a quick kiai, but Gokū was quick to deliver a follow-up uppercut to the demon's jawline, sending him flying and crashing onto his back.

Gokū and Caulifla both stared daggers at the fallen demon, who lay on his back for a moment until he started laughing. It was a small chuckle at first, but then it grew into a full bellow of amusement.

"Impressive!" Piccolo applauded as he brought himself to his feet. "I never could have imagined such powerful warriors in this age! Only one other has forced me to my back! No wonder my spawn fell to you…"

Piccolo grabbed his cloak and robe and tore it off, revealing a deep purple gi underneath, the same sealed kanji on his chest, with a red obi at his waist. "Still, you miserable ingrates continue to stand in my way, and I will have none of it. I will obliterate you both, by showing you the full terrifying power of Piccolo Daimao!"

"Enough with the boasting!" Caulifla shouted, getting fed up with hearing all the postering. "You switched from robes to gi! So what?!"

Piccolo said nothing but gave a smug sneer before he vanished from sight, only to reappear again after delivering a powerful uppercut kick right to Gokū's chin, and another to Caulifla's. Both Saiyans were launched skyward and had the misfortune of the blows to their chins slamming their jaws shut upon their tongues, causing them to bleed, but fortunately not cut them off. Piccolo immediately leapt up to meet the two teenagers in mid-air, and delivered a devastating and simultaneous left and right hook to both warriors as they plummeted back to earth, embedding themselves into the dirt for about a meter's depth.

Piccolo landed a short ways away from the two holes and noticed their choice of weaponry at his feet. He lightly kicked the Nyoibō aside and proceeded to crush the scimitar underneath his foot, causing the metal to shatter like glass. Striding towards the impact craters, Piccolo then knelt down to retrieve the impactees from within. He held Gokū and Caulifla aloft by the collars of their respective gis to see them alive, but much worse for wear.

"Impressive," Piccolo chuckled at their misery. "You two aren't dead yet."

"That… the best… you got…?" Gokū taunted, struggling to deal with the pain his body was in.

"Ha! Where's your bravado from before?!" Piccolo laughed as he smashed the two Saiyans together, hearing a bone or two crack between them.

Gokū and Caulifla said nothing, as they were dazed by the brutal pummeling. Both came up with an idea to gain some ground. It was desperate, but what other option was there?

CHOMP!

"AGH, damnit!" Piccolo snarled as he tossed both Saiyans away after they both bit his thumbs. The two scurried away and tried to catch their breaths while hobbling back to their feet. The ancient Daimao watched this display and chuckled at what he found to be an amusing sight. "Wretched little vermin. Even after that beating, you two still possess enough strength to scurry away like rats…" The Demon then inspected his thumbs and his amusement faded ever so slightly as he saw something he didn't expect. "It's been a long time since I've seen my own blood…"

"D-Damnit…" Caulifla groaned as she struggled to keep on her feet. "He's strong and fast… I think we jumped the gun on this one…"

"No kidding," Gokū groaned in response, trying to keep his eyes open. "He wasn't bluffing about the power gap between himself and his goons."

"That's right, vermin," Piccolo chuckled as he loomed over the two Saiyans, looking down upon them both figuratively and literally. "You have no hope of defeating me. Only death awaits you. But to make your last moments all the more terrifying, let me tell you a secret… I haven't even used half of my strength! What is left in your little bag of tricks that you'll throw at the great Piccolo Daimao?!"

Piccolo began to let out a bellowing laugh that only served to annoy the two Saiyans more than terrify them. The two nodded and assumed a familiar stance, both outstretching their arms, hands curled forth. Immediately Piccolo's boastful laughter ceased, as he recognized the first step of this technique.

'_N-No…!'_ The demon exclaimed mentally. '_It can't be…!"_

"Kaaa… Meee… Haaa… Meee…

Piccolo breathed a sigh of relief and began to laugh more. '_Oh good! It isn't the Mafuba! Just some concentrated ki attack. I can sense their reserves, and it won't be enough. Hmm...'_ Piccolo swiftly and quietly peered into their minds and found some interesting nuggets within their memories. '_I could have fun with their minds before I ultimately kill them.'_

"Come at me, vermin!" Piccolo goaded as he dropped his stance and glared at the two bright shining stars of concentrated ki before him.

"**HA!"**

Two fierce beams of bright blue ki shot towards the towering demon as he casually looked at the oncoming projectiles, smirking the entire time. The two blasts merged into one before ultimately connecting and detonating in a brilliant explosion that bent several palm trees away from the sheer force of it all.

"Direct hit!" Gokū cheered as he tried to catch his breath.

The two waited for the massive cloud of dust to dissipate to see what sort of damage had been done, but before the cloud even cleared, they could hear a sinister laugh that made their blood run cold.

"Was that meant to do something?~" Piccolo coyly asked as Gokū and Caulifla were now frozen with fear. This monster just tanked a combined Kamehameha and was none the worse for wear! The Daimao then extended a finger pointed directly towards Gokū. "Is it any wonder you were cast out by our own family?"

"Wha-?!" Gokū stammered in shock. "What the Hell are you talking about?!"

"I know the truth about you, Son Gokū," Piccolo answered with a devilish chuckle. "Or should I say, Kakarrot? You thought your parents were sending you away to keep you safe from some cataclysm, but they knew you were a weakling, and simply chose to cast you out like trash…"

"Don't listen to him, Gokū!" Caulifla pleaded, knowing Piccolo was trying to get under the boy's skin. "That monster's trying to twist what you know!"

"Ha! _I'm_ the monster?!" Piccolo laughed at Caulifla's choice of words. "Who was the cursed child who senselessly slaughtered an entire village that did nothing but care for her?"

Caulifla immediately tensed up, now starting to lose focus herself.

"You two are the monsters," Piccolo said as he clenched his fists and brought his arms up, roaring as he built up his own power. A faint aura began to glow around him, and his muscle mass bulked up ever so slightly. Eventually, Piccolo relaxed and gave a smirk that showed his fangs. "But me? I am no monster, _I am a demon…_ **MAK****Ō****SEN!"**

The demon shot one arm forth, an immense blast of ki emanating from his palm, aimed directly at the two Saiyans. Gokū and Caulifla snapped themselves from their stupor and immediately jumped into the air to avoid the devastating blast. The technique hit the ground with force that dwarfed their combined Kamehameha. If they took it head-on, it would have killed them both. Piccolo counted on them evading his blast and followed their airborne trajectory, and used his other arm to fire another, equally devastating beam of ki towards the two.

"N-No!" Caulifla screamed as she began thinking quickly. The Makosen engulfed the two and a bone-rattling explosion burst forth that could be heard for miles. When the dust cleared, Gokū and Caulifla fell to earth, shocked expressions frozen on their faces, and not moving a muscle. Piccolo walked up to the bodies, chuckling mirthfully at his handiwork.

"Interesting to see such capable fighters in this age," Piccolo mused aloud as he plucked the Dragon Ball away from Gokū's body and then placed two fingers against his neck, grinning even deeper when he felt no heartbeat. "But clearly not capable enough."

The Daimao held the One Star Dragon Ball up to his face and began to maniacally laugh. "Three down, four to go! My wish for eternal youth is nigh!"

Piccolo laughed as he flew back up to Pilaf's airship and it flew away, the echoing laughter of Piccolo Daimao reverberating across the area until all was quiet. Yajirobe poked his head out from behind the tree he was hiding behind and breathed a sigh of relief to see the demon leave. He then looked at the lifeless bodies of both Gokū and Caulifla and felt a pang of sympathy.

"Damn," was all Yajirobe could get out as he saw the Saiyans. "I hardly knew 'em. They had gusto, I'll give 'em that. No use leaving 'em to the buzzards though. Time to get a shovel."

Before Yajirobe could walk away, a faint glow appeared within the torsos of the fallen Saiyans that seemed to glow slightly brighter until it flashed outwards and arcs of electricity shot out, and immediately Gokū and Caulifla began to cough and sputter with newfound life, shocking Yajirobe for more reasons than one.

"N-No way!" The Ronin stammered in disbelief. "You guys are alive?!"

Gokū was the first to recompose himself and looked around his surroundings. He saw Caulifla was alive, but in very rough shape. He then saw Yajirobe staring at the two in awe and mild fear.

"What… happened?" Gokū lamely asked before wincing back and clutching his ribs. "Agh! Damnit! Piccolo did a number on us…"

"I'll say," Caulifla wheezed, finally recovering from her coughing fit. "Good thing… I thought quickly."

Caulifla began to try and stand up, but immediately buckled while letting out an agonized wail. Gokū turned to see what caused Caulifla to scream so suddenly and immediately saw the issue. "Caulifla! Your arm!" Gokū exclaimed, seeing his girlfriend's arm twisted at an unnatural angle and bleeding profusely.

"I think I took… the majority of that blast," Caulifla strained as she clutched her broken arm. "At least I still have some feeling in it, so it's not completely shot…"

"Uh, I'll go get something for a sling!" Yajirobe volunteered as he went off to find some materials to help his new friend, leaving the two injured Saiyans with a moment alone.

"That blast was guaranteed to kill us," Gokū summarized as he held onto his ribs. "How're we still here?"

"I thought the same thing when I saw it come at us," Caulifla nodded. "I… I decided to improvise. I took what I know of your Denkiken technique and put it in tandem with the Kamebasuto. Instead of a remote detonation, I managed to put a timer, and embed one each into our chests. And instead of an explosion, it released an electric shock to jumpstart our hearts."

Gokū was stunned to hear this. Caulifla had managed to not only figure out the principles of his technique, but also synergized them with her own, saving both of their lives. Thinking back, it's not much of a surprise. He had learned how to perform the Kamehameha - albeit with much less fanfare than the original demonstration - just by observing. He guessed it was a Saiyan trait to pick up on such techniques in such record time. His thoughts then trailed back to how handily the both of them were defeated, even when they coordinated with one another. Their defeat was made all the more bitter when Piccolo decided to take their thoughts and twist them.

"Damnit…" Caulifla croaked, taking a moment to process similar thoughts Gokū had. "That big green bastard didn't have to get under our skin to beat us, but he decided to anyway."

"He'll get what's coming to him," Gokū announced. "I have a few ideas that might give us the edge, though one of them might be a longshot."

"Can't be as much of a longshot as a defibrillating grenade blast, right?" Caulifla half-joked, half-expecting Gokū to come up with an even more mad scheme than the stunt she pulled. "I'm all ears."

"Well, first we-" Gokū cut himself off as he began to look skyward, his ears picking up the subtle sound of a jet flier on approach. Not in the mood, Gokū let out an exasperated groan, not wanting to put up with more nonsense. "Oh, who is it this time?!"

"Wait, I see it coming into view," Caulifla said as she looked in the direction of the noise. Caulifla saw the craft, but then noticed a decal on the side that immediately lightened up her spirits. "Wait a sec, I know that logo anywhere!"

Gokū finally caught a glimpse of the incoming jet flier and saw it was Capsule Corp branded, but then saw the same decal Caulifla did - A chibi blue-eyed face giving a victory hand gesture and a winky face, complete with lavender hair.

"Bulma!" The two exclaimed with glee as their genius friend was on the approach. The jet flier eventually landed and Bulma deftly leapt out of the vehicle, followed by a horrified gasp when she saw the state her friends were in.

"Oh good God! What happened to you guys?!" Bulma exclaimed, seeing how pulverized the two were. "Don't tell me, was it one of Piccolo's goons?"

"No, his goons were nothing," Caulifla answered. "This was courtesy of the big man himself."

"Y-You guys fought Piccolo and lived?!" Bulma reiterated, making sure she heard that correctly.

"Barely," Gokū added. "Bulma, I'd hate to bug, but could you fly us to Karin Sanctuary? I think Master Karin might be able to help us there."

"Of course, Karin Sanctuary!" Caulifla exclaimed, finally catching onto Gokū's plan. "Knowing him, he might have a remedy, and maybe some extra training for us!"

"Sure," Bulma nodded, but then saw Caulifla's arm. "But first, let's get her arm in a sling."

A few minutes passed and Caulifla's arm was now patched up for the time being, wrapped in a cast and hung by her shoulder. Eventually, Yajirobe returned with some gauze, only to see his new friend already patched up by this strange purple-haired lady.

"Hey! What gives?!" The Ronin shouted. "I go through all that trouble to get something for your arm, and then this chick shows up to do the job?!"

"Uh, Sorry, Yajirobe," Caulifla lamely apologized, scratching the back of her head with her good arm. "This is Bulma, a friend of ours."

"Wait. Bulma Briefs? As in the Capsule Corp chick?" Yajirobe repeated, making sure he heard correctly. Bulma, hearing what she did, immediately frowned and her eye began to twitch with annoyance.

"What did you just call me?!" Bulma snapped, causing Yajirobe to shrink back.

"I uh, called you Bulma Briefs." Yajirobe answered. "That's your name, right?"

"NO IT'S NOT!" Bulma snapped again, correcting Yajirobe's assumption. "'Briefs' isn't my last name you dolt! That's my dad's first name! We don't do surnames or family names at West City!"

"Oh."

"Okay, introductions out of the way, can we go now?" Gokū asked while breaking up the fight, now getting impatient for the trip.

"Fine," Bulma sighed. The Lavender-haired genius then turned to the resident Ronin. "Hey, uh, Yajirobe was it? Can you fly one of these?"

Bulma gestured to her jet flier and Yajirobe took a moment to look at it. "Uh, sure," Yajirobe shrugged. "After this is over, can I keep it?"

"Sure, but I'll have to pull some proprietary hardware out before that," Bulma nodded. She then turned to her Saiyan friends who were still much worse for wear. "Alright you two, let's get you into the medical bay."

Gokū and Caulifla hobbled onto the Jet Flier's ramp and entered. Yajirobe took to the pilot's seat and brought the craft to life and took off. Bulma supplied the coordinates for Karin Sanctuary, and the jet flew away.

* * *

**A/N:** _Hooo boy! Our favorite monkey kids did not have fun this time around. I also decided to take an alternate route to how Gokū survived his first round with the evil green bean. The dude's heart stopped, only to start back up for no valid reason. Please tell me I'm not the only one who was bothered by that. Sure, Saiyans are resilient, but this was before that retcon. As for Piccolo reading minds just to fuq with people, his whole schtick is anarchy, chaos, and making people piss themselves in the dead of night, so of course he'll be a sadistic bastard that way. As for Bulma's last name not being Briefs, was just fans assumed Dr. Briefs's name was his last name, and by that deduction, Bulma's last name must also be Briefs, which is not the case. Do leave a review sharing your thoughts, and I do hope this was a good read. :)_

_EDIT: Okay, wow, I was not expecting the website to be so fritzy this week. I apologize for the Chapter 36 update notice. I was trying to get this latest chapter to show up, but between that and other stresses ocurring at the same time, it was, for lack of a better term, a genuine clusterfuck._


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